In a significant step towards restoring peace in Zamfara State, notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has reportedly surrendered arms and released 32 kidnapped victims following peace talks with Islamic clerics. Sheikh Musa Yusuf Assadus Sunnah, who led the dialogues deep in the Fakai forest, revealed that multiple meetings were held in July at the request of Shinkafi residents.
The bandits, including Turji, Dan Bakkolo, and others, agreed to key peace gestures — handing over arms in phases and releasing women and children who had been in captivity for months. Farming has since resumed in previously inaccessible areas, and the region has seen a lull in violence.
However, full disarmament remains cautious, with clerics citing risks from rival groups. Sheikh Yusuf praised President Tinubu and others for supporting non-kinetic solutions and warned against public criticism that could derail the fragile progress.
The development is seen as a hopeful turning point for the embattled state.
