A deadly weekend ambush led by notorious bandit Bello Turji has claimed the lives of at least 48 security operatives.
According to local sources, the Bello Turji kills 48 incident unfolded near Shinkafi, Zamfara State, sending shockwaves through nearby communities.
The victims included Nigerian Army personnel and Joint Task Force members stationed in the volatile Maradun-Shinkafi axis of Zamfara.
Eyewitnesses said many residents ran for their lives, abandoning homes after hearing gunfire and seeing military trucks ablaze.
In a disturbing viral video, Bello Turji kills 48 became real as he was seen celebrating with armed men around the bodies.
Many of the attackers were reportedly former “repentant bandits” who had once benefited from a state-sponsored amnesty programme.
The development sparked public outrage, with critics blaming failed reintegration policies for recycling violence in northern communities.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International released a separate report highlighting over 10,000 deaths under President Tinubu’s first two years in office.
Amnesty said gunmen, including bandits, had killed 10,217 Nigerians across states like Benue, Edo, Plateau, Kebbi, and Zamfara.
The rights group also raised concern over displaced farmers who now face hunger due to unsafe farmland and insecurity.
This Bello Turji kills 48 attack is the latest in a string of violent acts that have decimated rural northern communities.
Local leaders confirmed that entire villages around Shinkafi are empty, as survivors fled in fear of further attacks.
The Nigerian military has launched reinforcements to track Turji and his fighters, promising swift retaliation and justice for the fallen.
Security experts say it’s time to overhaul Nigeria’s counter-terror strategy to stop future bloodshed and restore public confidence permanently.
