Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has reportedly released all hostages held by his group, according to Zagazola Makama, a counter-terrorism expert specializing in the Lake Chad Basin, who shared the news on Tuesday.
This development follows intensified military efforts aimed at capturing Turji and dismantling his network in Zamfara State and nearby areas.
Makama attributed Turji’s decision to release the captives to the mounting pressure from the Nigerian Armed Forces, operating under Operation Hadarin Daji and Operation Forest Sanity. Recent airstrikes and coordinated ground offensives have targeted Turji’s hideouts in Fakai, Shinkafi, and other surrounding locations, significantly weakening his group and forcing them to retreat.
“The release of the captives is being seen as a strategic move by Turji to avoid further escalation or a direct confrontation with security forces who have been closing in on him,” Makama explained.
The military’s heightened operations reflect their determination to apprehend Turji. Makama emphasized, “The troops have vowed to get him whether dead or alive.”
With the bandit group now on the backfoot, the release of the hostages is considered a desperate bid by Turji to reduce the pressure from ongoing military action.
