Terrorist Bello Turji releases more captives after peace talk in Zamfara

Zamfara terrorism kingpin, Bello Turji, has released another set of kidnapped persons following another meeting with local authorities and some Islamic clerics in the Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

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Residents said Mr Turji released dozens of kidnapped persons, mostly residents of the Shinkafi local government council, following the ongoing peace initiative by the local authorities.

The victims were handed over to the local government chairperson, Ibrahim Musa, who participated in the peace meeting with the bandits in the Shinkafi forest.

The local government information officer, Nasiru Shehu, announced the devey in a statement on Facebook.

He said the captives were released as part of the ongoing peace effort in the area.

Another resident, Lawal Adamu, told PREMIUM TIMES that about 70 captives were released in batches.

Mr Adamu said local government officials, Shinkafi community leaders and Islamic clerics engaged Mr Turji in the peace meeting who agreed to release the captives.

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He said the Shinkafi axis has enjoyed relative peace, and the locals are cultivating their farmlands without fear of being kidnapped since Mr Turji accepted the peace offer.

In August, the terrorist also released captives and surrendered arms after the intervention of Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Musa Yusuf.

In the previous meeting, Mr Yusuf said the clerics were still trying to persuade Mr Turji to accept total peace, but they did not ask him to surrender all his arms so as not to make him vulnerable to attack by other groups opposed to the peace process in the state.

He said that while the deal with Mr Turji would not end terrorist attacks in Zamfara, the communities in his axis were enjoying peace.

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The cleric commended President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, and Senator Shehu Buba for supporting a non-kinetic approach in addressing the security challenges of the area.

In October, Mr Turji warned that peace would continue to elude Zamfara State until the security forces and vigilante groups stopped attacking the Fulanis.

“This is why we are calling on all of you to come and collaborate with us for peace to reign and stop the bloodbath in Zamfara. Guns and airstrikes will not stop us because we are not afraid of death”, Mr Turji had said.