Residents of Gidan Goga town in the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State are reportedly contributing the sum of N20 million to give to the notorious terrorist leader, Bello Turji as a form of a “peace deal fee” to free their town from him.
Bello Turji Kachalla, popularly known as Turji, is a notorious Nigerian terrorist and bandit leader who has been operating in northern Nigerian states including Zamfara, Sokoto and Niger.
The 28-year-old terrorist leader allegedly led a bandit gang attack from January 4 to 6, 2022, where over 200 people including women and children were massacred by bandits in Zamfara State.
“People in the community are raising N20 million to give to Bello Turji to strike a form of peace deal with him so that there won’t be attacks here again,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“The community hopes this will end attacks,” another resident confirmed the situation.
However, in August this year, the Zamfara State Government announced that Turji had embraced its peace initiative and promised to tackle rival terrorist groups in the region.
The Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Hassan Nasiha, who disclosed Turji’s alleged acceptance of the state’s peace initiative during a conference on security in Gusau, the state capital, organised by the Students Union of Medina University, commended the terrorist leader for deciding to shun banditry.
Nasiha said that Turji’s action was bringing about relative peace in Birnin Magaji, Shinkafi and Zurmi local government areas of the state, saying that Turji was launching an offensive against other terrorists in the areas to “ensure peace and stability return to the state.”
“Turji is now killing unrepentant bandits who unleashed terror on innocent citizens in Shinkafi, Zurmi and Birnin Magaji local government areas,” the Deputy Governor had said.
