We’re Not Aware Of Bandit Leader Turji’s Surrender – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters has denied reports that notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji has surrendered to the military.

Turji, a wanted bandit leader operating mainly in Zamfara and Sokoto States is accused of masterminding several attacks on communities in the North-West.

Recently, there were reports that the bandit leader had surrendered his arms and released 32 kidnap victims following a peace initiative brokered by Islamic clerics in Zamfara State.

However, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye denied such claims during a briefing on the activities of the Armed Forces on Thursday, in Abuja.

RELATED: Terror Kingpin Bello Turji Surrenders Arms, Releases 32 Captives In Zamfara

Kangye also dismissed allegations of extrajudicial killings by troops in the South-East, describing them as unfounded.

Responding to claims by Amnesty International, Kangye said the military does not engage in indiscriminate violence.

“What do you mean by extrajudicial killing? Is it that soldiers carry their weapons, go to the street and start shooting people? You know what Amnesty International are doing. You know what they used to publish

“Like I always tell you, everybody with phone in his hand is a potential source of information to the whole world.

“But I can tell you that the military is not engaged in any extradjudicial killing in the South-East,” Kangye said.

On the recent protests by some retired military personnel, Kangye said the matter has been addressed by the Military Pensions Board in a meeting with the affected veterans.

He explained that only a few individuals were involved in the demonstrations, and that the Board, alongside the Chief of Accounts and Budget at the Defence Headquarters and the Minister of Finance, had engaged with them to resolve the issues.

He said, “This issue was addressed by military pensions board last week. I remember when the chief of account and budget in the defence headquarters went for the meeting with him and those aggrieved retired personnel.

Corroborating Kangye’s position, the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa met on Tuesday with a five-man standing committee set up by the Ministry of Defence to address veterans’ welfare concerns.

The committee, he said, was working on modalities to improve support for military veterans.

“I want to inform you that just yesterday (Wednesday), the CDS had a meeting with a five-man standing committee which was constituted by the Ministry of Defence to address this issue. It has been headed by a retired Air Commodore.

“They were here yesterday afternoon. They had a meeting with CDS and modernities have been worked out on how to address the welfare needs of our veterans, ” he said.