COAS Pledges to Pursue Wanted Bandit Leader Bello Turji

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, says the Nigerian military would go after wanted bandit leader, Bello Turji.

He stated this on Thursday in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

Briefing journalists at the Headquarters of Operation Fansan Yamma, the army chief reiterated the troops’ commitment to securing Zamfara, vowing that Turji would soon be eliminated.

He said the wanted terrorist has been on the run and should keep running.

“Bello Turji is on the run as we speak and for everywhere he goes, we follow him there. Let him keep running, it is just a matter of time, he would be removed from the space,” the army chief said.

Oluyede reeled out the achievements of the Nigerian Army in the region, saying troops have killed several bandit leaders in the last few months.

He noted that troops are working hard to improve the security situation as well as secure lives and properties safe.

“We are pursuing them and we intend to continue with that. It is the same thing with the fight against the bandits. In the last few months, we have killed prominent bandit leaders like Samaila, Boga, and the likes of Boderi. All those ones are dead.

“We are still pursuing them and to see how we can make the entire North-West very safe,” Oluyede said.

The army chief admitted that there were some challenges the troops faced in the theatre of operation. He, however, expressed optimism that they would surmount them.

Oluyede also called on Nigerians to cooperate with the army and other security agencies by availing troops of timely information.

Earlier, the army chief inspected the quarter guard, amid tight security. Oluyede, thereafter, proceeded to receive an operational briefing from the Theatre Commander, Major General Oluyinka Soyele.

His visit, the first since his appointment on October 30, 2024, comes at a time when troops are battling banditry and other security threats in the North-West region.

Operation Fasan Yamma plays a crucial role in the Nigerian Army’s ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in the North-West, a region grappling with rising cases of banditry, kidnapping, and other security challenges.