The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has debunked recent media reports claiming that notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has surrendered to the Nigerian military.
Addressing journalists during a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, said the wanted terrorist remains at large and is still being actively pursued by security forces.
“Simple answer to the question about terrorist leader, Bello Turji: Turji has not surrendered. We are still on the lookout for him,” Kangye stated.
Turji is a prominent figure linked to numerous deadly attacks and abductions in Zamfara and Sokoto States. In recent weeks, there were unverified reports suggesting he had laid down his arms and released dozens of hostages following a peace initiative allegedly brokered by Islamic clerics in Zamfara. The military has now firmly denied any such development.
In the same briefing, Maj. Gen. Kangye also addressed allegations of extrajudicial killings by military personnel in the South-East, dismissing them as baseless and lacking credibility.
“What do you mean by extrajudicial killings? Are soldiers moving around randomly shooting civilians? These are narratives often pushed by organisations like Amnesty International,” he said.
He stressed that the Armed Forces are committed to professionalism, rule of law, and the protection of civilian lives.
Responding to recent protests by some retired military personnel over delayed pensions and benefits, Kangye noted that the matter was already being addressed at the highest levels.
He clarified that the protests involved only a small group of retirees and not the broader military veteran community. “You see, when two or three individuals speak on behalf of others, it may appear as if the entire Armed Forces veterans are demonstrating. That’s not the case,” he said.
He added that the Chief of Accounts and Budget at Defence Headquarters, officials from the Military Pensions Board, and the Minister of Finance had engaged with the aggrieved retirees and resolved most of the concerns.
Corroborating this, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, revealed that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, met on Tuesday with a five-man committee established by the Ministry of Defence to develop strategies for improving the welfare of ex-servicemen.
“The committee, headed by a retired Air Commodore, met with the CDS yesterday. They are already working on modalities to address veterans’ welfare issues more comprehensively,” Gusau said.
The Defence Headquarters reiterated its commitment to ongoing military operations across the country and promised improved engagement with stakeholders to tackle insecurity and support military personnel and veterans alike.
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