The Coalition of North Central Forum has praised the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, for his role in combating banditry in Nigeria’s North West, as notorious bandit leader Bello Turji reportedly goes into hiding.
In a statement on Friday, the Forum’s Chairman, Idoko Simon, commended the minister’s leadership, attributing the recent successes against bandits and kidnappers to his strategic efforts.
“We must give credit to Minister of State Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, who has shown exceptional commitment to dealing with banditry in the North West of the country,” Simon stated.
He recalled that in September last year, Dr Matawalle led Defence Chiefs and other security personnel to the region in a bid to end banditry. Since then, security forces have eliminated several key bandit leaders like Halilu sububu and neutralised over 8,000 terrorists, and also recovered tens of thousands of weapons.
The Forum highlighted the absence of the notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, who had previously been known for recording videos and boasting about his criminal activities.
Turji has not released any new footage in over eight months and is believed to be in hiding as security forces intensify their operations.
The statement also noted that only last week, troops under Operation Fansan Yanma eliminated two major bandit leaders, Kachalla Gwammade and Kachalla Shehu, in Zamfara State as part of the ongoing Operation Show No Mercy.
“It is clear that bandits are being smoked out and annihilated by our armed forces from all angles. The whole of the North West, from Zamfara to Katsina to Sokoto, is no longer safe for bandits to operate,” Simon added.
Additionally, an arms supplier attempting to escape with a cache of weapons was neutralised in Zamfara State earlier this week, while several notorious bandits in Katsina State—including Abu Radda, Umar Black, Abdullahi Lankai, Jijjige, and Dabar Musa Dan Gandu—have surrendered to the military.
A recent midnight raid in Sokoto State also led to the capture of a bandit who had run out of ammunition while engaging in a gunfight with troops.
The Coalition believes these recent victories mark a significant turning point in Nigeria’s battle against insecurity. It credited Dr Matawalle’s leadership and the coordinated efforts of the National Security Adviser for the sustained military success.