Troops from the Nigerian Army have eliminated the son of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji during a coordinated assault on his hideouts in Zamfara State.
The operation, part of the broader Operation Fansan Yanma, combined both ground and air strikes to dismantle key strongholds located in Fakai, a longstanding base for Turji’s group in the Shinkafi Local Government Area.
According to the counter-insurgency publication, Zagazola Makama, intelligence sources confirmed significant losses for Turji’s faction, including the death of his son and several high-ranking members of his network. “We k!lled his son and many of his fighters during the operation. I also listened to Turji’s panicked voice calling for reinforcements from seven other bandit leaders. None of them showed up, and one of his spies narrowly escaped from us today,” a source revealed.
The Nigerian Army targeted several camps during the assault, including Zangon Dan Gwandi, Zangon Tsaika, Zangon Kagara, and a school believed to have been used by Turji’s group to store food and weapons. The military destroyed the school in order to disrupt Turji’s logistical network.
Turji, who was last seen at Zangon Gebe, is reportedly surrounded by well-armed fighters. Intelligence reports indicate that Turji has been declared a “dead man walking” by the military, which is determined to eliminate him and dismantle his operations throughout Zamfara, Sokoto, and Niger states.
Special forces led the operation, with support from the General Officer Commanding (GOC) and additional personnel from the Navy’s Special Boat Service (SBS). This concerted effort reflects the military’s resolve to eradicate the bandit threat in the region.
Maj. Gen. Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, emphasized the importance of the ongoing campaign against bandits like Turji. “The terrorists exist for the sake of war and must be destroyed for the sake of peace,” he stated, underlining the military’s goal to restore peace to the region. This operation represents a significant step in the military’s continued pressure on terrorist enclaves and hideouts, marking a critical blow to Turji’s network and its ability to continue its criminal activities.
