“We’re Ready for Talks or War” — Bello Turji Dares FG After Deadly Sokoto Ambush

Notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji

“We’re Ready for Talks or War” — Bello Turji Dares FG After Deadly Sokoto Ambush

Wanted bandit kingpin releases video claiming responsibility for killing soldiers, parades armed fighters in military uniforms as intelligence warns of Boko Haram collaboration

Bello Turji, one of Nigeria’s most wanted bandit leaders, has issued a defiant ultimatum to the federal government, declaring that his group is prepared for either peace negotiations or all-out war, depending on which path the authorities choose to pursue. The declaration came in a video recorded in Hausa and dated June 20, 2026, which has been circulating widely on social media, heightening tensions across Nigeria’s troubled North-west region. In the footage, the masked speaker—believed to be Turji—appeared flanked by heavily armed men dressed in military-style camouflage, with belts of ammunition and multiple firearms displayed prominently around them. He claimed responsibility for recent deadly attacks on security operatives in parts of Sokoto and Zamfara states, framing the assaults as retaliation against individuals he accused of killing community members and confiscating livestock.

The video surfaced just days after a devastating ambush along the Isa–Bargaja axis in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State. According to security sources and eyewitnesses, suspected terrorists loyal to Turji laid an ambush on security personnel responding to a distress call from the Bargaja community, with residents reporting that bandits invaded the village between 12:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., shooting sporadically and forcing locals to seek military intervention. Local sources reported that an Improvised Explosive Device detonated during the operation, killing at least four soldiers, although military authorities have yet to officially confirm the casualty figure, and a resident who spoke anonymously said that the security personnel were on their way to rescue the community when the vehicle hit the explosive, affecting many soldiers. Following the explosion, gunmen engaged security forces, and a security vehicle was reportedly set ablaze during the attack.

In the video, Turji explained that his group launched the attacks to fight back against people he accused of killing members of their communities and stealing their animals, stating that some people who are chasing away their livestock are killing innocent brothers and sisters who have done nothing wrong in places such as Shinkafi in Zamfara State, Sabon Birni in Sokoto State and other surrounding areas. He added that Allah granted them victory over these people who are carrying out these operations and driving away their livestock, and that they killed them, praying that Allah would help them succeed in defeating their enemies and in recovering their animals from their hands. Security analysts suggest the recording is designed to frame the group’s activities as retaliation against alleged attacks on pastoral communities—a narrative experts say has frequently been used by armed groups to justify violence and attract sympathy within affected communities.

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The bandit kingpin used the video to directly address the federal government’s strategy, making it clear that his group would match whatever approach the authorities decide to take, stating that if the government is ready for negotiation, they are also ready for negotiation, but if they want to continue with force, they are prepared and their fighters are ready for whatever comes. He further emphasised his group’s resolve, stating that they are ready for peace, but if the government chooses war, they are also ready and will defend themselves. Turji, who is believed to operate from forest enclaves spanning parts of Zamfara and neighbouring states, remains one of Nigeria’s most wanted bandit leaders and has been repeatedly linked by security agencies to kidnappings, killings, cattle rustling, and attacks across the North-west.

Fresh security concerns have emerged following confirmation by the Nigerian Army that it has received intelligence reports alleging that Turji and his loyalists are conducting weapons training and tactical drills in parts of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, with the alleged training activities taking place in several communities including Bingabale, Bafarawa, Bargaja, and Gebe, all within the Eastern Senatorial District. Security sources further alleged that the exercises involve armed fighters loyal to Turji, including close associates such as Illa Manawa and Dodo, reportedly his younger brother, and that the group is said to be undergoing military-style drills and weapons handling using newly acquired arms, with reports suggesting the possible use of night-vision equipment and other tactical gear. The army’s Acting Deputy Director of Public Relations, Lt. Col. Osoba Olaniyi, confirmed that the military is aware of the intelligence reports and is actively assessing the situation, assuring that appropriate security measures are being implemented.

Community security stakeholder Basharu Altine Guyawa Isa has raised serious alarms, alleging that Turji is strengthening his fighting force through collaboration with extremist groups, and in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Isa claimed that the wanted terrorist leader has intensified efforts to strengthen his operational capacity through alliances with extremist groups operating in the region. According to him, intelligence available to local security volunteers indicates that Turji and his associates have established a training camp near the Sokoto-Zamfara border, where recruits are allegedly being trained and armed for future operations, and he further alleged that Boko Haram members have been providing training and logistical support to the fighters, increasing the sophistication of criminal networks operating in the region. Isa further claimed that newly arrived fighters with links to Boko Haram and possessing advanced combat and weapons-handling expertise had entered the area to train and strengthen Turji’s fighters, and he warned of possible coordinated attacks on five local government headquarters in eastern Sokoto before the peak of the rainy season.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Defence Headquarters nor the police commands in Sokoto and Zamfara states had issued official responses to the claims made in Turji’s video, and historically, military authorities have dismissed similar recordings as propaganda intended to exaggerate the capabilities of armed groups and undermine public confidence in ongoing security operations. However, for residents of communities that continue to endure attacks, kidnappings, and displacement, the latest recording is likely to reinforce concerns that some of the region’s most notorious armed groups remain active despite sustained security operations, and Turji has long used videos and audio messages to communicate with supporters, issue threats, announce ceasefires, and respond to military operations targeting his camps. The allegations made by Isa during the interview have not been independently verified, and security authorities have yet to publicly comment on the claims, while efforts to reach the Sokoto State Police Command for comment were unsuccessful as of press time.