Bello Turji’s Latest Threats and Military Response
The Defence Headquarters has recently branded notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, as a “dead man walking” in light of his recent threats against the Nigerian military and the people of Zamfara State. Turji, who gained widespread attention through a viral video, issued a challenge to the military, accusing it of targeting elderly individuals and demanding the release of his detained associate, Baka Wurgi. He also threatened to unleash terror across Zamfara State in 2025 if his demands were not met.
However, the Nigerian military has swiftly dismissed Turji’s threats, with Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, calling his claims “empty rhetoric.” Speaking at an end-of-year briefing in Abuja, Buba made it clear that Turji would meet the same fate as previous terrorist leaders who had threatened security forces but were ultimately neutralized.
The Fate of Terrorist Leaders
Maj. Gen. Buba emphasized that Turji’s boastful rhetoric would not go unchallenged, stating, “Bello Turji is merely a dead man walking.” He further stated that engaging in a war of words with a terrorist leader like Turji would be an insult, pointing to the fate of past terrorist commanders who had been defeated. Buba made it clear that the military would not be deterred by threats from terrorists and that those who believed themselves untouchable would ultimately meet their end.
“Terrorist leaders who think they are untouchable will eventually meet their end. Many have already been buried on the battlefield, and 2025 will see the same fate for others. Their time is up,” Buba asserted.
Military’s Commitment to Addressing Allegations
Buba also addressed reports regarding the accidental bombing in Sokoto, stating that the military was open to cooperation with Amnesty International. However, he reiterated that the military had already extended an invitation to the rights group to discuss previous allegations it had made against the armed forces.
“We invited Amnesty International to discuss their allegations against us, which we found shocking and misleading,” Buba said. He added that the military was awaiting a response to the invitation and would address the latest requests once they honored it. He urged Nigerians to ignore any terrorist propaganda surrounding the incident, stressing that the bombing had specifically targeted terrorists and not innocent civilians.
Military Successes in 2024
The Defence Headquarters took the opportunity to highlight the military’s successes throughout 2024. According to Buba, over 10,000 terrorists were killed, 12,538 individuals were arrested, and 7,063 kidnapped victims were rescued in operations across Nigeria. In addition, the military recovered 8,815 weapons and 228,004 rounds of ammunition during the year. Notably, key terrorist leaders were eliminated, including Dutse Mainasara Idda, Mallam Saleh Umaru, Mohammed Amadu, and Jeremiah Uzuoma.
In terms of combating economic sabotage, the military had a significant impact, recovering stolen crude oil valued at N68 billion and disrupting a number of oil theft operations. A total of 56.2 million liters of stolen crude oil, 9.7 million liters of illegally refined AGO, and 156,527 liters of PMS were recovered during the year, denying criminals an estimated N68.4 billion in potential revenue.
Forecast for 2025: Total Defeat of Terrorists
Looking ahead, Maj. Gen. Buba expressed optimism about the military’s operations in 2025, predicting the total defeat of terrorist elements in Nigeria. Reflecting on the successes of 2024, Buba stated that the year had shown signs of major victories ahead, with the military making significant strides not just in the Northeast, but also in the Northwest and North Central regions.
“Victory in 2025 is non-negotiable,” Buba declared, citing the dwindling morale among terrorist groups as evidence of the military’s growing success. He remained confident that the military’s efforts would lead to a complete dismantling of terrorist operations across the country.
