The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, announced on Friday that notorious terrorist leader Bello Turji has expressed his readiness to surrender.
This comes after significant military action, including the recent elimination of his second-in-command and several lieutenants, forcing Turji to release many of his subordinates.
General Musa explained that the military’s efforts are being hampered by the elusive nature of Turji and his fighters, who blend into local communities. However, recent victories have struck a significant blow to the terrorist group, with Turji now reportedly open to laying down his arms.
“Despite the challenges in tracking their movements, we’ve taken down Turji’s second-in-command and a number of key figures in his faction. This pressure has left him with fewer followers and he is now signaling his desire to surrender,” Musa stated on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
The Defence Chief also made it clear that despite Turji’s willingness to surrender, anyone who has been involved in the killings of innocent civilians must face justice. “We will not show mercy to anyone involved in such atrocities,” he emphasized.
The military’s ongoing operations against Turji’s group have yielded significant results. On Wednesday, troops from Operation Fansan Yamma neutralized key figures within Turji’s ranks, including Aminu Kanawa, Turji’s second-in-command, and several close allies. High-ranking commanders such as Abu Dan Shehu, Jabbi Dogo, and Dan Kane were also reported neutralized in the strike.
In addition to these successes, the military forces have neutralized over 24 fleeing terrorists from Turji’s camp in Sokoto and Zamfara States, further dismantling his network. The continued pressure on Turji and his group signals that the government’s offensive against terrorism in the region is intensifying.
