Bello Turji, the infamous terrorist leader operating in Zamfara State, Nigeria, has reportedly surrendered some of his weapons and released 32 kidnapped individuals as part of a peace effort facilitated by Islamic clerics. This development emerged following several meetings held in July 2025 in the Fakai forest, Shinkafi Local Government Area, with Turji and other key figures involved in local insurgency.
Musa Yusuf, a prominent cleric known as Asadus-Sunnah, disclosed this during a religious gathering in Kaduna, explaining that the dialogue was initiated by residents of Shinkafi who sought access to their farmlands in dangerous forest areas previously controlled by Turji's group. Turji and his associates, including Dan Bakkolo, Black, Kanawa, and Malam Ila, agreed to peace proposals that included ceasing attacks on farmers and permitting the free movement of residents, particularly Fulanis, without harassment from vigilante groups.
The peace agreement involved the phased surrender of weapons and the release of the captives, some of whom endured nearly four months in captivity under harsh conditions, with reports of childbirth and snakebite occurring during their ordeal. Yusuf presented video evidence of the released victims and described the challenging terrain they crossed to reach Turji’s camp.
While the deal has brought relative peace and renewed farming activities to the Shinkafi axis, the clerics continue to negotiate for a total cessation of hostilities. They deliberately avoided demanding full disarmament to protect Turji from possible attacks by factions outside the peace process. Yusuf also cautioned against online criticisms that could undermine the fragile peace.
The initiative has garnered support from key Nigerian leaders, including President Bola Tinubu and security officials, as a strategic non-military approach to stabilizing the region plagued by insurgency and banditry.
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