The Arewa Elders Progressive Group has strongly advised President Bola Tinubu against engaging in peace talks with Bello Turji, a notorious bandit leader terrorizing the northwest region of Nigeria.
The group expressed their opposition to any efforts by the Federal Government to reconcile with Turji and his gang, who have been responsible for widespread violence and destruction in the area.
In a statement released in Kaduna on Thursday, the group’s North-West Chairman, Alhaji Mustafa Dutsin Ma, questioned Turji’s alleged willingness to reconcile. He argued that any overtures from the bandit leader should be viewed with skepticism, given the countless lives lost due to his gang’s criminal activities.
“Turji’s hands are stained with the blood of innocent citizens; he has caused immense suffering and destruction in North-West Nigeria. Reconciling with him would be a slap in the face of his victims and their families,” Dutsin Ma stated.
The Arewa Elders praised the ongoing military operations in the northwest, particularly the air and ground attacks in villages such as Shinkafi in Zamfara State and Jibia in Katsina State. However, they emphasized that any attempt to reconcile with individuals responsible for heinous crimes without holding them accountable would undermine the government’s efforts to combat banditry and would be a betrayal of public trust.
The group stressed the importance of justice for the victims and their families, demanding that those involved in banditry face the full consequences of the law.
“Reconciling with those who have perpetrated heinous crimes without holding them accountable would be a miscarriage of justice and a disservice to the nation,” they added.
The statement concluded with a call to President Tinubu to prioritize the security and safety of Nigerian citizens above all else.
“The primary responsibility of any government is to ensure the security and safety of its citizens. We urge President Tinubu to prioritize this responsibility and avoid any actions that may compromise it. Anything less would be a failure of leadership and a betrayal of public trust,” Dutsin Ma warned.