Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has dismissed claims that he received money or vehicles from former Zamfara governor and now Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, during peace talks with the Zamfara State Government.
The allegation, made by Musa Kamarawa—a former peace mediator appointed by the Sokoto and Zamfara state governments—suggested that Turji and his group were given N30 million and vehicles during negotiations at the Government House in Gusau.
In a viral video, Turji denied the claims, insisting his activities were not for personal gain. “By Allah, since I was born, I have never possessed even N5 million. We were never given the N30 million you are talking about,” he said.
Turji also defended Matawalle, stating that he and his group were not tools of any politician. “We are not politicians, and we are not tools of politicians. There is no human being backing us,” he added, suggesting that the minister had no involvement in financing or influencing their activities.
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Accusing Kamarawa of betraying the trust established during negotiations, Turji described the former mediator’s claims as “false and mischievous testimony.” He emphasized that their commitment to peace was genuine and not politically motivated.
While Turji did not comment on recent Federal Government negotiations, he called out former political leaders, including ex-governors Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State and Senator Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara State, blaming them for fuelling insecurity long before Matawalle’s administration.
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By publicly denying the allegations and distancing Matawalle from any involvement, Turji has added a new layer to ongoing debates about banditry, political influence, and accountability in Nigeria’s North-West.
