IS Bello Turji, the notorious terrorist, invincible? For a long time now, the Nigerian military high command has spoken of a steely resolve to hunt him down and bring him to justice, but that has not been done. All that Nigerians have been consistently treated to are stories indicating that the security forces are closing in on him, and that he has indicated a willingness to surrender after committing unspeakable atrocities for years.
For instance, no fewer than 44 security operatives were recently feared killed in a fresh wave of bloodshed that he allegedly orchestrated in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The gruesome attack, which reportedly took place in a remote area near Shinkafi, was said to have claimed the lives of 40 members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and four soldiers. The ambush reportedly occurred as the operatives were responding to intelligence on the movement of armed bandits in the area. So goes the sad story: Turji’s fighters, heavily armed and strategically positioned, opened fire on the advancing troops, leaving dozens dead and many others wounded.
In another chilling episode, Turji was said to have released a video showing the execution of a former bandit-turned-informant, Bashari Maniya, whom he accused of betrayal for cooperating with security forces, even as security analysts expressed worry about the growing boldness and tactical sophistication of criminals in the North-West.
Only recently, terrorists reportedly took charge of Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, a hotbed of terrorist attacks and kidnapping. They killed several people and outlawed farming activities in the area. Said a security analyst: “Bandits led by feared warlord, Babaro, have seized control of Kankara LGA, Katsina State. Farming was banned from Marabar Kankara to Yantumaki, dozens were killed/kidnapped, and healthcare collapsed. Residents are begging Governor Dikko Radda and the Federal Government for urgent intervention.”
To hear the Zamfara State government, though, the situation should change very soon. According to it, a recent coordinated security operation against the “notorious bandit” led to a major breakthrough in the ongoing battle against armed gangs terrorising the region. Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Dauda Lawal, Alhaji Ahmad Manga, enthused: “Alhamdulillah, he was finally tracked down right in his hideout—a place security agents had never reached before. He realised he was no longer untouchable.”
According to him, security forces launched a heavy assault, inflicting significant losses on the gang. Hear him: “Several of his men were neutralised. Even he couldn’t count how many fighters he lost that day. Most of the corpses recovered after the operation were his fighters.”
In response to Turji’s recent audio message indicating a willingness to surrender, the Sokoto State government called on him to prove that he truly wants peace by stopping attacks on villages and releasing all kidnapped victims still in his custody. Security Adviser to the Governor of Sokoto State, Col. Ahmed Usman (rtd), said the government would only take Turji seriously if he backed his words with real action.
His words: “Anyone can say they want peace. But the real test is what they do next. If Turji is serious, he should stop attacking our rural communities and release the innocent people he’s still holding.”
This was just as a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, declared that the reported decision of the terror kingpin to surrender and accept peace is motivated by survival, not genuine repentance. According to him, “Turji is not laying down arms because he suddenly loves peace. He is doing so because his operational capabilities have been severely weakened.” Makama was reacting to the death of Turji’s key operational commander, Danbokolo, who was reportedly killed during a recent joint operation involving the State Security Services and a local security group known as the Hybrid Forces, which includes members of the Civilian Joint Task Force.
From Borno to Kogi, Plateau, Benue and many parts of the country, the terrorists have staged audacious attacks in recent times, sacking entire communities and leaving a trail of sorrow, tears and blood in their wake. The situation is horrifying. These attacks represent an assault on the integrity of the Nigerian State and the earlier the government neutralises them, the better for the country. To be sure, it is not being suggested that there have been no military onslaughts on the terrorists. That is categorically not the case.
Only on Monday, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said that the Air Component of Operation HadinKai (OPHK) had destroyed a terrorists’ logistics warehouse and thwarted impending massive terror attacks on Borno communities during air interdictions in the Mandara Mountains. The air component had launched precision air strikes on 6 July 2025 against key terrorist strongholds nestled in the Mandara mountains as part of ongoing coordinated operations to dismantle insurgent networks across the North-East operational theatre.
Also recently, men of the Nigerian Army killed at least 60 Boko Haram terrorists after repelling an attack on a military base in Bita, Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State. However, in spite of these onslaughts, the terrorists, going by various tags, from bandits to Boko Haram operatives and Fulani herdsmen, have continued to stage audacious attacks, shedding human blood at will.
In March, the 2025 Global Terrorism Index ranked five of the terror attacks that occurred in Nigeria in 2024 among the world’s most devastating. The attacks, which took place in Yobe and Borno states, were carried out by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province. Sadly, the attacks on various communities this year, including the genocidal attack on Yelwata, Benue State which led to the loss of over 200 innocent souls, threaten to dwarf the 2024 figures. The government should sit up. It should take the battle to the criminals and save the already traumatised citizenry from further despair. Criminals like Bello Turji should not be given further opportunity to kill innocent citizens and devastate communities.
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