- Safiu Kehinde
Dreaded Zamfara terrorism kingpin, Bello Turji, has reportedly released 32 kidnapped victims while also surrendering some of his arms.
Turji also came into agreement to stop attacking farmers following a series of meetings with some Islamic clerics in his hideout located around Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
One of the clerics, Musa Yusuf, popularly known as Asadus-Sunnah, disclosed this at a religious gathering on Monday in Kaduna.
According to Yusuf, Shinkafi residents had engaged his team of clerics to appeal to Turji to let them access their farms in the forest.
The cleric said the meeting took place three times in July in the Fakai forest.
While confirming the release of the 32 kidnapped victims with video evidence, Yusuf dismissed speculations that one of the Turji’s ally, Dan Bakkolo, was killed.
The terrorist, according to hm, was present at the meeting.
“We met Mr Turji, Dan Bakkolo, Black, Kanawa and Malam Ila. The speculation that Dan Bakkolo was killed is not true.
“These people are the ones terrorising the axis, and they all agreed to the peace proposals, one of which is for them to surrender some of their arms to show commitment to the peace process.
“They surrendered the arms in three phases at different times and allowed the residents of Shinkafi to access their farms in the forest across the river heading to Mr Turji enclaves.
“We agreed that the Fulanis must be allowed to go to town without being stereotyped or killed by the vigilante.
“He (Mr Turji) also released 32 kidnapped captives as part of the peace agreement,” Yusuf said
He disclosed that the freed persons, including children and women, had spent about four months in captivity.