iDeemlawfulNotorious bandit leader Bello Turji has acknowledged that he participated in peace discussions with officials of the Zamfara State government during the administration of Bello Matawalle.
However, Turji strongly rejected allegations that he received ₦30 million during the engagement, distancing himself from claims linked to Matawalle, who currently serves as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence.
Turji made the clarification following allegations by Musa Muhammad Kamara, a former Special Assistant in the Matawalle-led government, who recently claimed he personally facilitated transactions involving cash and vehicles to terror leaders.
In an audio recording circulating online, Turji directly responded to Kamara’s assertion that a ₦30 million payment was made to him, describing the allegation as false.
“By Allah, since I was born, I have never possessed even five million naira,” Turji said. “What I am doing is not for personal gain. We were never given that ₦30 million you are talking about.”
He maintained that his meeting with government representatives was strictly in pursuit of peace and insisted that he did not gain financially from the process.
Turji accused Kamara of offering “false testimony” and breaching the trust built during the dialogue, adding: “I did not even receive three million naira.”
According to Turji, the violence in the region is being fuelled by political actors rather than bandit groups.
He further alleged that former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto states, as well as former governor Ahmed Sani Yerima, were responsible for supplying arms and encouraging the formation of vigilante groups that targeted Fulani communities.
“We say openly that former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto, alongside Ahmed Sani Yerima, are responsible for the calamities that befell these states,” Turji claimed, calling for their arrest and investigation.
The bandit leader also denied any political backing, stating: “We are not politicians, and we are not tools of politicians… There is no human being backing us.”
Listen to the bandit leader speak below:
For several years, allegations have persisted that politicians sponsor criminal networks, including terrorists and bandits. One of the most recent accusations has been directed at Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who has repeatedly denied having any links with bandits.
Claims against Matawalle have continued to surface over time, with critics repeatedly urging President to remove him from office or compel his resignation.
