By Fatima Mukhtar
Notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has reportedly released over 100 captives in a renewed peace effort aimed at restoring calm to Zamfara State and parts of Nigeria’s North-West.
The freed victims, including men, women, and children, were said to have been held for months in various camps within the Shinkafi forest. Their release followed weeks of quiet negotiations between Turji’s group, community leaders, and Islamic clerics involved in peace mediation efforts.
According to reports by PRNigeria, the move forms part of a wider confidence-building process linked to the “Operation Safe Corridor” initiative and local peace dialogues. The release reportedly took place in batches, with the first 36 captives freed last week and additional groups released in subsequent days.
Turji, who has long been one of the most feared figures in the region, had earlier freed 32 hostages and surrendered some arms in August, signalling what appears to be a gradual shift toward reconciliation.
While residents have welcomed the development, security experts urge caution, stressing that no formal peace accord or surrender deal has been confirmed by the authorities. The military and local security operatives are said to be closely monitoring the situation to ensure the process is genuine and not an opportunity for regrouping.
The development has reignited debate over the use of dialogue and non-kinetic strategies to address banditry and rural violence in the North-West, where thousands have been killed or displaced in recent years.
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