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Doubts trail dialogue with Bello Turji despite release of 32 captives

Published

1 year ago

August 6, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Doubts trail dialogue with Bello Turji despite release of 32 captives

By: Zagazola Makama

The recent release of 32 kidnapped victims by notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, following behind-the-scenes dialogue with Islamic clerics and representatives of federal authorities, has triggered cautious reactions and deep scepticism from stakeholders in the North-West, particularly in Zamfara State long considered the epicentre of Nigeria’s banditry crisis.

Though the development has been hailed by some as a potential opening for peace, others see it as déjà vu, a replay of failed dialogue attempts that emboldened criminal elements and undermined justice for thousands of victims across rural communities in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kebbi States.

One of the most vocal critics is Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, a prominent political leader in Shinkafi LGA and former Chairman of the Zamfara State Committee on Prosecution of Banditry-Related Offences.

Speaking in a monitored programme on Tuesday, Shinkafi rejected the peace overtures with Turji, describing them as “unsustainable and morally indefensible,” citing past betrayals and the broader scale of insecurity that extends beyond a single warlord.

According to Shinkafi, the latest round of engagements with Turji was facilitated not just by local clerics but included emissaries from the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Intelligence and Security, Senator Shehu Buba Umar.

“These meetings reportedly happened about three times in July in Turji’s hideout,” Shinkafi disclosed, adding that though 32 victims were released, the process lacked transparency and structure. Where were these victims taken after release? Was the traditional protocol followed Emir’s palace, state government, medical evaluation? Nothing of such was done,” he queried.

Observers note that peace dialogues with bandit leaders are not new to Zamfara. Under former governors Abdul’aziz Yari and Bello Matawalle, multiple deals were initiated particularly through the efforts of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi. Each time, initial gains in the form of temporary ceasefires or prisoner swaps were followed by renewed violence, extortion, and further territorial expansion by criminal groups.

“This is the irony of the latest ‘peace talk’,” Shinkafi said. “We’ve seen this before, and each time we empower these criminals further.”

He added that making peace with Turji ignores the broader network of armed actors operating across the region, including Mallam Ila, Kanawa, Dan Bokolo, Sani Black, Dogo Gide and others.

“Sani Black recently demanded ransom payment in gold not naira from Zumi communities. What peace are we talking about when over 40 local governments across the North-West are under siege?”he said.

He argued that one major concern is the narrow focus of the dialogue. While Turji remains one of the most prominent warlords operating in Sokoto and Zamfara’s eastern axis, other factions continue to abduct, kill, and extort villagers.

Communities such as Sabon Birni, Goronyo, Issa, Kamarawa, Bafarawa, and Gatawa in Sokoto East remain under persistent attack, with dozens of hostages still in captivity. Just days ago, in Sabon Garin Damri (Bakura LGA), 70 people were reportedly kidnapped, with 11 confirmed dead.

Shinkafi argued that peace talks with a single actor like Turji, no matter how well-intentioned risk creating a perception of state weakness and selective negotiation.

“Even if Turji releases 32 victims with very fee arms and ammunitions, what about the rest? What about the others he didn’t release? What about the commanders who didn’t sit at the table?” he asked.

Malam Ibrahim Issa, another activist, said Dogo Gide recently claimed that he has seized fire in Kaduna state, but his boyz recently carried out attack on Nigerian army troops in Niger and few days later, he carried out another attack in Kebbi state.

“Likewise Yellow Jambros, who also surrendered in Kaduna and stopped hostilities in Katsina but he men are still attack Plateau and Benue state,”he said.

Banditry without ideology

Shinkafi further argued that unlike Niger Delta militants, who were driven by environmental degradation and resource control, the North East insurgents driven by religious ideologies, the North-West’s bandits are not guided by ideology or political grievances.

“These men are building a criminal enterprise. They extort farmers, kidnap schoolchildren, kill villagers, and run illegal mining operations. What ideology are they promoting?” he asked.

He said Turji’s sudden interest in peace is likely tactical to regroup, seek legitimacy, or avoid military pressure.

While the release of any kidnapped person should be welcomed, experts warn that fragmented negotiations, especially those lacking legal oversight and accountability, may set dangerous precedents.

“There must be a coordinated national framework for any engagement. Anything short of this is appeasement,” said a retired senior intelligence officer who declined to be named.

In the meantime, voices like Shinkafi’s are pushing for a more resolute military and judicial approach to end the cycle of violence and impunity.

“The only peace worth having is one anchored on justice, disarmament, and state authority,” he said.

Another layer of complication is the apparent lack of coordination with the Zamfara State Government. Governor Dauda Lawal, elected on a reformist platform, has publicly distanced himself from any peace overture with criminal elements.

“Governor Lawal is not part of this. He has maintained a clear position that no dialogue will be held with armed bandits unless they lay down their weapons unconditionally,” a senior government source told Zagazola.

Most of the bandits are not ready to lay down their arms. And even if they do, they are not willing to surrender themselves to the government for any form of rehabilitation. Most of the fulani bandits have large livestock and families too. Where do you want to keep them when you decide to confined them to a rehabilitation camp. What are you rehabilitating them for?

This policy divergence between federal-backed actors and the state government risks undermining a coherent security strategy and emboldening factions looking to exploit disunity between security stakeholders.

Doubts trail dialogue with Bello Turji despite release of 32 captives

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Troops arrest three Fulani men in Plateau after farmer’s killing

Published

1 week ago

September 14, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Troops arrest three Fulani men in Plateau after farmer’s killing

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Sector 6, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), have arrested three persons during a raid on two Fulani settlements in Bachi community, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The operation, conducted on Sept. 13, 2026, followed a manhunt for criminal elements responsible for the killing of a farmer at Fang community in Riyom LGA on Sept. 12.

During the raid at Baggat and Shong 2 Fulani hamlets, troops arrested three residents identified as Anas Usman, Nuhu Mohammad and Haruna Ahmed.

Security sources said the three suspects are not necessarily the perpetrators of the killing, but their arrest is part of efforts to mount pressure on local Fulani leaders to assist security agencies in identifying and producing those responsible for the crime.

The suspects are currently in custody for further investigation and intelligence exploitation.

Troops arrest three Fulani men in Plateau after farmer’s killing

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Talata Mafara Attack: ISN Demands Intelligence Overhaul, Special Courts to Crush Banditry

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Talata Mafara Attack: ISN Demands Intelligence Overhaul, Special Courts to Crush Banditry

The Institute of Security, Nigeria (ISN) has called for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s approach to terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, warning that criminal groups are becoming increasingly organised and capable of challenging the authority of the state.

The institute made the call while reacting to the reported invasion of Talata Mafara market in Zamfara State, where non-state actors allegedly imposed a ₦50 million levy and demanded 100 livestock, giving residents a seven-day ultimatum.

The ISN said the development exposed the need for security agencies to move beyond reactive operations and adopt stronger intelligence-led strategies capable of identifying and dismantling criminal networks before they launch attacks.

In a statement signed by its Deputy President and Chief Executive Officer, Barr. Adebayo Akinade, the institute said the activities of terrorists and bandits were no longer limited to isolated attacks but increasingly involved the control of economic activities, collection of illegal levies and disruption of legitimate livelihoods.

It warned that such activities could gradually establish a parallel system of criminal authority in affected communities if left unchecked.

The institute consequently urged the Federal and state governments to establish a coordinated security framework bringing together federal security agencies, state security outfits and vetted community guards.

It also called for the creation of a National Security Fusion Centre, supported by state-level fusion desks, to facilitate real-time intelligence sharing and faster responses to emerging threats.

According to the ISN, security agencies should penetrate criminal networks operating around markets, cattle-rustling routes and illicit livestock value chains while targeting the logistics and financial structures sustaining banditry.

It recommended regulated livestock markets and improved tracking systems to prevent stolen cattle from being absorbed into legitimate commercial channels.

The institute further proposed special courts for terrorism, kidnapping and banditry cases, arguing that a faster judicial process would strengthen the fight against organised criminal groups.

It urged the government to deploy modern technologies, including forest geo-fencing, livestock tracking, drones and citizen-reporting platforms, alongside improved tactical mobility and air surveillance.

The ISN also called for a two-hour rapid-response mechanism in vulnerable areas and increased investment in night-vision equipment and other specialised capabilities.

Beyond security operations, the institute advocated stronger community-based early-warning systems and local peace and security forums involving traditional rulers, farmers, market unions, faith organisations and civil society groups.

It urged citizens to report threats rather than surrendering to ransom and illegal levy demands, while encouraging communities to document attacks and preserve evidence for investigations and prosecution.

The institute said professional training in terrorism studies, intelligence management and counter-banditry operations should be strengthened as part of efforts to build a more effective national security architecture.

The ISN reaffirmed its readiness to support government and security agencies through research, training, policy advisory services and professional certification, saying a coordinated response was essential to restoring public confidence and protecting national development.

Talata Mafara Attack: ISN Demands Intelligence Overhaul, Special Courts to Crush Banditry

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2026 Peace and Dialogue Awards: IPCR, Ufuk Foundation Call for Collective Investment in Peace

Published

2 weeks ago

September 11, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

2026 Peace and Dialogue Awards: IPCR, Ufuk Foundation Call for Collective Investment in Peace

By: Michael Mike

The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has called on governments, businesses, civil society organisations, religious and traditional institutions, communities and individuals to invest deliberately in peacebuilding, warning that the cost of conflict far exceeds the resources required to prevent it.

Ochogwu made the call on Thursday, September 10, 2026, while delivering a lecture titled “Investing in Peace: A Collective Responsibility for Everyone” at the 2026 Peace and Dialogue Awards organised by the Ufuk Dialogue Foundation Nigeria in collaboration with the IPCR in Abuja.

He said the awards should go beyond recognising individuals and organisations contributing to peacebuilding, stressing that Nigeria must begin to treat peace as an investment requiring consistent resources, planning and accountability.

According to Ochogwu, global military expenditure exceeded $2.4 trillion in 2024, while peacebuilding expenditure remained below $60 billion, representing about 2.5 per cent of military spending.

He questioned why trillions of dollars could be mobilised for conflict and military expenditure while significantly smaller amounts remained difficult to commit to conflict prevention and peaceful societies.

Ochogwu said the message was consistent with the 2026 International Day of Peace and International Day of UN Peacekeepers, but noted that the IPCR had further domesticated it as “Invest in Peace for Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday.”

“Peace cannot be a seasonal product for September 21st; it must be deliberate, daily, and for all,” he said.

He identified early-warning systems, peace education, youth employment, interfaith literacy, justice reform, community mediation, psychosocial healing, and greater participation of women and young people as key areas requiring investment.

The IPCR Director-General noted that the benefits of peacebuilding were often measured by conflicts that never occurred, making its returns less visible than conventional security spending.

He stressed that peacebuilding interventions must reflect the specific causes of conflicts in different parts of Nigeria. He identified extremism in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and North-Central, resource-related conflicts across the Middle Belt, separatist agitation in the South-East and urban fragility as major security and conflict challenges.

He also said West Africa and the Sahel were facing a convergence of violent extremism, unconstitutional political transitions, farmer-herder tensions and climate-induced displacement.

“A blanket approach will fail,” he warned, urging policymakers to develop interventions based on the specific drivers of conflict in each community and region.

Ochogwu also linked economic development to sustainable peace, saying the Federal Government’s economic reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda could contribute directly and indirectly to peacebuilding.

He said job creation, poverty reduction and addressing economic vulnerabilities could help prevent communities and young people from becoming susceptible to conflict and violent mobilisation.

“Economic renewal is not a separate track; it is the bedrock on which peace is sustained,” he said.

He identified a perception gap, fragmentation of interventions, funding misalignment and the absence of effective mechanisms for tracking peace expenditure and its impact as major obstacles to peace investment.

According to him, less than 0.5 per cent of the budgets of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were coded for peacebuilding, while corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending rarely reached peacebuilding initiatives.

He therefore called for a system to track who invests in peace, how much is invested, where resources are deployed and the results achieved.

Ochogwu warned that failure to invest in peace carries significant economic and humanitarian consequences. He cited an estimated $19.1 trillion global economic cost of violence in 2024, equivalent to about 13.5 per cent of global GDP.

He added that every dollar not invested in conflict prevention could ultimately cost significantly more in humanitarian response and reconstruction.

According to him, farmer-herder conflicts had resulted in losses estimated at more than $14 billion over five years, while infrastructure damage in the North-East had exceeded $9 billion, with about 2.2 million people displaced.

“The cost of not investing in peace far exceeds the cost of investing in it,” he said.

To address the challenges, Ochogwu proposed a five-point compact aimed at making peacebuilding a shared responsibility across Nigerian society.

He called for the speedy implementation of the National Peace Policy, the establishment of a National Peace Investment Fund, legislation for a minimum three per cent peacebuilding allocation across relevant MDAs, and stronger coordination and early-warning responsibilities for the IPCR.

He also proposed committing at least one per cent of CSR expenditure to peacebuilding initiatives, including mediation centres, school peace clubs, early-warning technology and youth employment programmes in vulnerable communities.

The IPCR boss urged faith, traditional and community leaders to institutionalise interfaith dialogue and community-level dispute-resolution mechanisms in every ward, saying vulnerable communities often need trusted local mediators more than externally organised workshops.

He further called for stronger action against hate speech and disinformation, the generation of locally relevant evidence and the development of a Peace Investment Tracker Dashboard at the IPCR.

Ochogwu urged individuals and communities to make peace part of their daily conduct by avoiding escalation, accommodating neighbours, reporting early-warning signs and mentoring vulnerable young people.

“Peace must become everyone’s business,” he said.

The Chairperson of the 2026 Peace and Dialogue Awards, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu, NPM, also said peace and democracy were mutually reinforcing, stressing the importance of peaceful engagement in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic development.

2026 Peace and Dialogue Awards: IPCR, Ufuk Foundation Call for Collective Investment in Peace