Jumps Across Three States to Evade Heavy Hand of Justice
By Mike Odeh James and Olikita Ekani
(Kaduna) Nigeria’s most notorious, mediagenic gang warlord is biking with his killers from Sokoto to Niger State to evade capture, TruthNigeria has learned.
Bello Turji Kachalla (“Boss”), followed by more than 1,000 bandit-terrorists [known as violent gangs in US parlance], was first declared wanted by the Defense Headquarters (DHQ) in November 2022 with a bounty of approximately $12,000 on his head.
The DHQ reiterated their call for his capture in March 2024. Recently, the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, assured Nigerians that “time is ticking” against the wanted bandit, promising that troops will soon arrest him.
Turji is among some 30,000 radicalized “bandits” (organized gangs) who have wrecked the agricultural economy of Nigeria’s Northwestern States by forcing famers into rent-paying vassals for years. Hired mercenaries from Zamfara are linked to ethnic cleansing campaigns in Middle Belt States such as Kaduna, Plateau and Benue, according to TruthNigeria sources. As soon as President Bola Tinubu assumed power in May 2023, he ordered Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defense Staff, to make killing bandits job one.
Turji’s Hasty Relocation
Following the threat by the military to capture or kill him Turji is now on the run. Truthnigeria learned that Turji cannot be pinned down to his Fakai Forest hideout in Zamfara State anymore.
“We learned that he has moved to Kagara [in Niger State], where his mother comes from; aside from that, he is always on the run,” Comrade Abdul Bako Usman, President of the Committee for Protection of Democracy, tells TruthNigeria.
Sokoto-based Islamic cleric Sheik Murtala Asada confirms Turji’s relocation. In a recent sermon, Asada stated, “He and his bandits have fled from Moriki to Fakai, and then he is now in Kagara in Niger, where he is currently hiding.”
Asada noted, “I can confirm to you all that he will not be there for long.”
Security Expert Tracks Turji
Security expert Zagazola Makama tracks Turji’s movement. On his platform, Zagazola writes, “Bello and his fighters have left their hideouts near Tsafe and crossed over to Munhaye in Zamfara State.”
Zagazola’s sources have proven reliable in the past, as he was the first to break the news of the killing of notorious bandit commander Kachalla Buzu by Nigerian troops.
In order to buttress how high Turji is on the kill list of the military, General Musa on his X-handle on Saturday promised the nation that “the same way we got bandits like Halilu Sububu, and others is the same way, we shall get Turji.”
Similarly, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal assured that the bandit kingpin would soon be killed. Twice, Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, has reiterated the determination of the military to get him dead or alive.
Again, a few days after the killing of Halilu Sububu Kachalla on September 13, 2024, the General further reiterated the determination of the military to get Turji either alive or dead.
Why Turji Tops the Military’s Kill List
Comrade Usman, President of the Committee for Protection of Democracy, explains to Truthnigeria why the military is targeting the notorious terror kingpin.
“Bello Turji has been a thorn in the side of the military and the people of Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Katsina, and parts of Kaduna.
“His recent activities, such as burning an MRAP vehicle in September and boasting about it, have angered the military.
“Furthermore, his altercation with the people of Moriki precinct in Zurmi County, Zamfara State, is another challenge for the military.
“Zurmi is one of Zamfara’s largest farming communities, but Turji has prevented people from farming. President Bola Tinubu has ordered the military to ensure farmers can work safely.”
Retired Sergeant Saadi Moriki, a Moriki precinct resident in Zamfara, tells Truthnigeria: “Bello Turji is Nigeria’s Osama Bin Laden.
“He has burned and killed many Hausa farmers who refused to obey him. He has captured and enslaved entire communities in Zamfara, taxing them.
“Additionally, he has attacked the Nigerian military, killing soldiers and defying the state government repeatedly.
“There was a time when the state government arrested Turji’s father for investigation. In response, Turji took women, children, and elderly men hostage until the government released his father,” Moriki explained.
Halilu Sububu’s Death: A Hollow Victory?
Moriki emphasizes that killing Halilu Sububu will achieve little if Turji remains at large.
“Turji Bello has more men and is better-armed than Sububu. Though trained by Sububu, Turji is more sophisticated.
“He effectively uses media, especially social media, to rally Fulanis to his cause.
“Turji also has connections to terrorists in the Niger Republic and controls territories in Zamfara, Niger State, and Katsina State.
“It’s only a matter of time before he becomes a rallying point for remaining terrorists and bandits in Northern Nigeria.”
Turji At War With Hausa Community
Moriki also noted that the notorious bandit leader in Northwestern Nigeria is also at war with the Hausa tribe, the largest in Nigeria, with 20.6 million members. All bandit gangs are members of the Fulani tribe, claiming 9 million Nigerian members, according to Prof. Murtala El Rufa’i, author of I Am A Bandit.
On September 5, 2024, he issued a chilling warning to the Hausa community, accusing them of killing innocent Fulani people and their livestock.
Turji vowed to continue waging war against the Hausa people if the killing of members of the Fulani ethnic group doesn’t cease and warned that Hausa farmers will not be allowed to harvest their crops, stating, “You will not harvest your farms. If you dare to, you will die.”.
“This threat is part of a larger conflict between Fulani herders and Hausa farmers, fuelled by disputes over land, resources, and perceived injustices. Moriki noted.
Increasing Isolation
The notorious bandit leader is facing growing opposition from prominent Northerners, who are openly condemning his actions and urging the military to take action against him.
Sheik Murtala Asada, an influential Islamic cleric in the Northwest, has accused Turji of genocide and publicly prayed for his capture or death. In a YouTube post on September 4, 2024, Sheik Asada said, “Oh Allah, may Turji be caught and killed in the way and manner Halilu Sububu was killed. May his fate be worst.”
Similarly, renowned Journalist and Senior Analyst in the Extremism Policy Unit of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Audu Bulama Bukarti, has joined the chorus of condemnation against Bello Turji, noting that the notorious bandit leader’s time is running out, just like Abubakar Shekau, the infamous Boko Haram leader.
Opprobrium from this respected analyst takes the shine off Turji’s self-presentation as a Fulani tribe social-justice advocate.
This development indicates a significant shift in public opinion against Turji, with influential voices such as Sheik Asada and Bukarti calling for accountability.
Mike Odeh James and Olikita Ekani are Conflict Reporters for TruthNigeria
