The Defence Headquarters has described notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji as a “dead man walking,” following his recent threats against the military and residents of Zamfara State.
Turji, in a viral video, accused the military of targeting elderly people and demanded the release of his detained associate, Baka Wurgi. He also threatened to unleash terror on Zamfara residents by 2025 if his demands were unmet.
Reacting to the threats during an end-of-year briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, dismissed Turji’s warnings as empty rhetoric and vowed that the bandit leader would face the same fate as other neutralized terrorist commanders.
“Bello Turji is merely a dead man walking,” Buba declared. “It would be insulting to engage in a war of words with a terrorist. Before him, others who boasted against security forces have all been neutralized. Turji and his likes will face the same fate. Their time is up.”
Military Responds to Amnesty International’s Call for Probe
Buba also addressed Amnesty International’s call for an investigation into the Sokoto accidental bombing, stating that the military remains open to dialogue with the rights group once it responds to an earlier invitation to discuss previous allegations.
“We invited Amnesty International to discuss their allegations, which we found shocking and misleading. We await their response. Once they honor the invitation, we will address their latest request,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to disregard terrorist propaganda surrounding the Sokoto incident, asserting that the bombing targeted terrorists, not civilians. “Terrorists thrive on propaganda. Don’t let them manipulate the narrative,” Buba warned.
2024 Military Successes
Highlighting the military’s achievements in 2024, Buba revealed that over 10,000 terrorists were killed, more than 12,500 arrested, and over 7,000 kidnapped victims rescued in various operations across the country.
“During the year, we neutralized 10,937 terrorists, arrested 12,538, and rescued 7,063 hostages. We also recovered 8,815 weapons and 228,004 rounds of ammunition,” he disclosed.
Prominent terrorist leaders eliminated in 2024 include Dutse Mainasara Idda, Mallam Saleh Umaru, Mohammed Amadu, and Jeremiah Uzuoma.
Fight Against Economic Sabotage
The military also made significant strides in combating economic sabotage, recovering stolen crude oil and other resources worth an estimated N68.4 billion.
“Troops recovered 56.2 million liters of stolen crude oil, 9.7 million liters of illegally refined AGO, and 156,527 liters of PMS,” Buba stated. “These efforts denied criminals significant revenue.”
Outlook for 2025
Expressing optimism for the year ahead, Buba projected the complete defeat of terrorist elements in Nigeria by 2025.
“Over 10,000 terrorists were killed in 2024, and thousands surrendered across various regions. This indicates the terrorists’ dwindling morale. Victory in 2025 is non-negotiable,” he declared.
