A notorious terror leader operating in Nigeria’s north-west, Bello Turji, has reportedly released 32 kidnapped individuals and handed over some of his weapons.
According to Premium Times, Musa Yusuf, an Islamic cleric widely known as Asadus-Sunnah, disclosed the development on Monday during a religious gathering in Kaduna.
Yusuf stated that the release and partial disarmament followed a series of peace dialogues conducted in July with Turji and other armed factions in Fakai forest, located in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
He noted that the peace initiative was spearheaded by residents of Shinkafi, who had urged religious leaders to intervene and convince Turji to end his violent operations and allow local farmers safe access to their lands.
“We met Mr Turji, Dan Bakkolo, Black, Kanawa, and Malam Ila. The speculation that Dan Bakkolo was killed is not true,” Yusuf said.
“These individuals are responsible for the insecurity in the area, and they all agreed to the peace proposals. We agreed that the Fulanis must be allowed to go to town without being stereotyped or killed by the vigilante.”
Yusuf revealed that some weapons were surrendered by the armed groups in three phases and that farming activities have resumed in areas previously under militant control.
He added that Turji released 32 hostages as part of the peace arrangement and shared a video showing the victims navigating rough terrain as they exited captivity.
Yusuf explained that discussions with Turji and his associates are still ongoing, with the goal of achieving lasting peace. However, he clarified that the clerics have refrained from demanding total disarmament, as such a request could make Turji vulnerable to attacks from rival groups not involved in the peace efforts.
When contacted, Zamfara police spokesperson Yazid Abubakar told TheCable, “I’m not aware of this development.”
Similarly, Onyinyechi Anele, the army spokesperson, said the military had not yet been briefed but assured that updates would be provided once more information becomes available.