Tinubu Administration Halts CJTF from Seizing Control over Bello Turji
In the North-western states of Zamfara and Sokoto, Nigeria, a notorious bandit leader named Bello Turji has been causing havoc with his violent crimes, including mass killings and abductions.
Recent reports suggest that the current Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, may have interfered in an operation to capture Turji by the Civilian Joint Security Task Force (CJTF) in Zamfara State.
According to security expert Sani Shinkafi, the former chairperson of the Committee on Security and Prosecution of Armed Bandits, the government intervened to thwart the security operatives' efforts to apprehend Turji. Shinkafi claims that if the operation against Turji had continued, he could have been captured.
The operation, which involved a joint effort with CJTF and CPG operatives, took place in the Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. During the operation, many of Turji's foot soldiers were killed, and Turji himself was nearly captured. However, the military and other security agencies withdrew from the operation, and the federal government instructed the CJTF and CPG to return to Shinkafi, stating they would use dialogue to settle with Bello Turji.
The bandits, who are well-acquainted with the terrain, have an advantage over the CJTF operatives, who are not indigenes of the state. Despite this, the Zamfara State Government has recruited hundreds of persons into the Civilian Joint Security Task Force (CJTF) to combat banditry.
Despite the offer of dialogue, Bello Turji rejected the peace talks spearheaded by community and religious leaders. He insisted that Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara was not involved, and as a result, he would not be part of the dialogue.
Attempts to reach the media aides of both the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and President Bola Tinubu for comments were unsuccessful. Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson to President Tinubu, did not respond to Premium Times' requests for comment, and Usman Zakari, a media aide to Nuhu Ribadu, did not respond to requests from The Street Journal.
This article was published by a division of Polance Media Inc. in 2025. The allegations of government interference in the capture of Bello Turji have been reported in recent news articles from early August 2025 by Premium Times and The Street Journal.
- Bandits in the North-western states of Zamfara and Sokoto, Nigeria, such as notorious leader Bello Turji, have been causing war-and-conflicts, with violent crimes like mass killings and abductions.
- Governance in Nigeria, under President Bola Tinubu's APC administration, has faced accusations of interfering in the operation to capture Turji, led by the Civilian Joint Security Task Force (CJTF) in Zamfara State.
- Sani Shinkafi, a security expert and former Committee on Security and Prosecution of Armed Bandits chairperson, alleges that the government intervened, thwarting security operatives' attempts to apprehend Turji.
- In the general news, it is questionable if the government's shift from a military approach to dialogue with Turji will be effective, given his rejection of peace talks.
- The Crime-and-Justice sector includes the delayed response to the media's requests for comments from administration officials under President Tinubu regarding the allegations of government interference.
