In a chilling turn of events, bandits believed to be part of Bello Turji’s notorious criminal network have abducted 10 passengers and set their vehicle ablaze along the Kaura-Namoda-Shinkafi Road in Zamfara State. This attack occurred just a day after the Defence Headquarters issued a stern warning to Turji, calling him “a dead man walking” and promising that he, along with other terror masterminds, would not survive beyond 2025.
The motive behind this ruthless attack stems from a public threat Turji made regarding the release of his brother, Baka Wurgi, who is currently under military custody. Turji had warned that if Wurgi was not released by the end of December 2024, he would resume his deadly campaign of abductions and killings in both Zamfara and Sokoto states. Wurgi, initially hospitalized at Shinkafi General Hospital, was later seized by military personnel from his bed.
The bandits, suspected to be loyal to Turji, launched their attack on the morning of January 2, 2025. They ambushed the vehicle transporting 10 passengers from Gusau, Zamfara’s capital, to Shinkafi town. The ambush took place near Kwanar Jalab village in Zungeru Ward, within the Shinkafi Local Government Area. Eyewitness Garba Sani shared his shock, revealing that after kidnapping the passengers, the bandits set the vehicle on fire—a tactic never before seen in the region.
“This is the first time we are witnessing such an attack. The bandits have always abducted people, but they’ve never burned a vehicle like this,” Sani remarked, adding that this violence could be linked to Turji’s earlier threat to retaliate against the government for holding his brother.
Dr. Sani Shinkafi, a prominent figure from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has long urged the military to take decisive action against Turji before the situation spirals further out of control. “It’s a slap in the face of the military to see Turji continue to send threatening videos while he’s still on the loose,” Shinkafi stated.
Efforts to get a response from the Defence Headquarters regarding this incident were unsuccessful, as Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, did not respond to calls or messages.
During a year-end briefing, Buba had addressed the ongoing threat from bandit leaders like Turji, declaring their days were numbered. “Turji and other terrorist leaders are walking dead men. We’ve buried those before him, and we will do the same with him in 2025,” Buba assured, expressing confidence that these criminals would meet their end in the coming year.
This latest attack serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat posed by Turji and his associates, as well as the urgent need for effective intervention to protect innocent lives in the region.
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