Terrorist leader Bello Turji accuses FG of encouraging banditry

Bello Turji Kachalla, a terrorist leader, has accused the federal government of Nigeria of fuelling banditry in the northern region of the country.

Turji carries out his terrorist activities majorly in Zamfara, Sokoto and Niger states.

The military said recently that it bombarded Turji’s hideout, killing 12 of his fighters while he escaped. But Turji derided the attack.

“I wonder if truly the government wanted to kill me. I think they only wanted to provoke me by making me renege on my promise not to kill anyone,” he reportedly said to a Hausa-speaking television broadcaster.

He was further quoted to have said, “If they could spot my house why couldn’t they sight and kill me because I only left the house a couple of minutes when the bombardment occurred.

“The people should know their enemy from the onset. The government is provoking us so that we will take revenge on the poor masses.

“The government is only fooling the gullible and naive people that they want to end banditry whereas in actual sense, they are the ones fueling the activities of the bandits and also benefiting from them.

“Peace is priceless and I’m ready to be a peace advocate unless the government wants me to be a warmonger. I’m ready for either peace or war. Whatever, the government wants, we can give them a multitude.”

“There have not been any attacks in the last five months since we reached a truce with the government but now that the military has attacked our home, we feel betrayed especially after the death of vulnerable people in the air strikes. The government only succeeded in destroying some part of my house and other buildings belonging to the innocent people.

“For the past five months, we didn’t attack or kill anyone around Shinkafi. As a result, farming and other businesses were flourishing without any hitches. I feel embarrassed when my name was mentioned after the attacks by other terrorists”.

Turji is said to have imposes N20 million as protection levy on residents recently.