Bello Turji’s Days Numbered, Military Assures Nigerians…Nigeria Installs Bulletproof Guard Booths to Curb Jailbreaks…Villages Hit by Deadly Bandit Raids…Youth Leader in Captivity Begs for Ransom
- Nigerian Military Says It’s Closing in on Notorious Bandit Leader Bello Turji
The Nigerian military has assured that notorious bandit leader Bello Turji is being actively tracked and will soon be eliminated.
“First, I need to let you know that there is absolutely no forth and back between Bello Turji and the Armed Forces,” Major General Emeka Onumajuru, the Chief of Defense Operations, said in a televised interview on Monday.
“As I speak, Bello Turji is hiding, completely in hiding, and the Armed Forces are tracking him; the Armed Forces continuously track him, and very soon, he will be eliminated,” he added.
Onumajuru also responded to reports that Turji is extorting residents in parts of Sokoto State, urging locals to reject the illegal levies. “Do not accede to request for protection levy in whatever form because we have troops who guarantee farms security, who open space to go about your normal activities,” he stated, assuring of adequate security from authorities.
- Nigeria Deploys Bullet-Resistant Guard Booths to Strengthen Prison Security
Amid a series of jailbreaks in Nigeria, the federal government is ramping up security by deploying bullet-resistant guard booths to four prisons and the national headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
The NCoS is the agency responsible for managing the country’s prison system, similar to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the United States.
According to The Guardian, during the commissioning of 39 new duty escort vehicles in Abuja, Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said, “The guard booths will therefore aid early threat detection and facilitate effective combat.”
Nigeria has faced multiple prison breaks in recent years, including the 2022 Kuje jailbreak, where hundreds of inmates, including terrorists, escaped.
Officials say the new security measures are part of broader efforts to prevent further breaches and strengthen prison operations.
- Bandit Attacks Leave One Dead, Many Abducted
Armed bandits attacked villages in Nigeria’s Niger State, killing one person, abducting several others, and stealing cattle in separate raids on February 22 and 23.
According to intelligence sources who spoke to Zagazola Makama, the first attack took place around 2:15 p.m. local time in Shiroro County, where gunmen on motorcycles stormed Kutako Makera and Galadiman-Kogo villages, killing 75-year-old Bansi Kutako before kidnapping multiple residents and rustling cattle.
Hours later, at about 3:50 a.m. local time, another group of bandits invaded Hayin-Dogo village in Munya County, kidnapping five people, including two women. The victims were identified as Adamu Danfulani, Umar Sanda, Murtala Tailor, Aisha Rabiu, and 26-year-old Ramatu Murtala.
Security forces, including the military, police, and vigilantes, have been deployed to track the attackers and rescue the victims.
- Kidnapped Nigerian Youth Leader Begs for Ransom to Save His Life
A kidnapped Nigerian youth leader has pleaded for financial help to pay his ransom, warning that his captors will kill him if the money is not raised in 24 hours.
Eniola Ojajuni, national president of the Afenifere Youth Council—a group advocating for the interests of Nigeria’s Yoruba ethnic group—was abducted on February 17. In a video shared by SaharaReporters, he is seen sitting on the ground with an armed captor pointing an AK-47 at him.
“Nigerians, please help me! Your donation—₦100,000 ($66.69), ₦50,000 ($33.34), or ₦1,000,000 ($666.88)—can go a long way in saving my life,” he begged. His kidnappers are demanding ₦100 million (about $66,700).
Ojajuni’s abduction was confirmed by Abiodun Aderohunmu, the council’s national secretary, who said he suffered a gunshot wound during the attack. The council has called on the Nigerian government to intervene and secure his release, but authorities have yet to comment on the situation.
Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
