The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has refuted claims that Bello Turji, a notorious bandit leader operating in Zamfara and Sokoto states, has surrendered to the military.
Gatekeepers News reports that Markus Kangye, director of defence media operations refuted the claims while speaking at a briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
He said: “Simple answer to the question about terrorist leader, Bello Turji… Turji has not surrendered. We are still on the lookout for him.”
Turji has been linked to numerous deadly attacks in the north-west and is known for enforcing a brutal tax regime in certain communities, preventing defaulters from farming or rearing livestock.
Recent reports alleged that Turji had handed over his weapons, released 32 abducted persons, and entered a peace deal mediated by Islamic clerics in Zamfara.
The reports also claimed that his gang surrendered arms in three stages and permitted residents to return to farming in previously occupied areas.
The DHQ, however, maintains that the wanted bandit remains at large.
