“I Met Matawalle, Not ₦30bn” — Notorious Bandit Kingpin Bello Turji Confirms Zamfara Peace Talks, Demands Arrest of Ex-Governors

Sahara reporters has taken to its official X handle former Twitter and announced that the Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has openly admitted holding peace negotiations with officials of the Zamfara State Government under the administration of former governor Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence, while vehemently denying claims that he received ₦30 million during the engagement.

In a widely circulated audio message, Turji dismissed allegations made by Musa Kamara, a former state-appointed peace mediator, who had accused him of collecting the money as part of the dialogue process. Turji described the claim as “a blatant lie”, swearing by Allah that he had never possessed such an amount in his life.

> “By Allah, since I was born, I have never had even five million naira,” Turji declared. “What I am doing is not for personal gain. We were never given the ₦30 million you are talking about.”

According to Turji, the meeting with Zamfara government officials was strictly a peace initiative, insisting that he did not personally benefit financially at any point. He accused Kamara of betrayal and false testimony, alleging that the mediator had twisted facts surrounding the negotiations.

> “We agreed on peace when the Zamfara State Government appointed you,” Turji said. “But what you are saying now is full of lies. I did not even receive three million naira.”

In a startling escalation, the feared bandit kingpin accused former political leaders in Zamfara and Sokoto States, including ex-governor Ahmed Sani Yerima, of fueling violence in the region. He alleged that arms were supplied to groups and that vigilante formations were encouraged to attack Fulani communities—actions he claimed plunged the states into chaos.

> “We say it openly: former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto, alongside Ahmed Sani Yerima, are responsible for the calamities that befell these states,” Turji alleged, calling for their arrest and thorough investigation.

Turji attempted to distance himself from political manipulation, insisting that neither he nor his group serves any political interest.

> “We are not politicians, and we are not tools of politicians,” he said. “There is no human being backing us.”

However, the bandit leader—long linked to mass killings, kidnappings, village raids, and the displacement of thousands across Zamfara and neighbouring states—carefully avoided addressing specific atrocities attributed to his group.

Instead, he framed his message as a personal defence, claiming he was speaking “before Allah alone.”

Nigerian security agencies have repeatedly identified Bello Turji as one of the most dangerous armed group leaders in the North-West, with the military previously declaring him wanted over terror-related activities. His latest claims are expected to further intensify public scrutiny of past peace deals and the political handling of insecurity in the region.