The Ministry of Defence has denied reports that bandits leader Bello Turji, who has been terrorising Zamfara State, captured a military armoured vehicle.
A video has been circulating shows Turji and other terrorists celebrating with a military vehicle, claiming it was captured.
But debunking the claim by the terrorist leader, Henshaw Ogubike, Director of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of defence, said the vehicle was stuck in a waterlogged area and officers had to withdraw to avoid being ambushed by bandits.
Ogubike said due to the recent surge in kidnappings and attacks on communities, Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, will visit the North-east, in the company of the service chiefs.
“While in the north-west, they will supervise operations and ensure that Bello Turji and his Bandits gang are flushed out,” the statement said.
Ogubike also debunked claims that bandits attacked the army and hijacked their vehicle.
“These criminal bandits have been circulating videos of a Nigerian military Armoured vehicle that was stuck in a waterlogged area, and late in the night the officers were asked to withdraw to avoid being ambushed by bandits; later in the night the bandits went to the waterlogged area, recording video of the Armoured vehicle that was stuck and celebrating it,” he said.
“This incident happened in Kwashabawa, Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state. This is not acceptable as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has been giving great support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
“We are ready to deploy all necessary assets to ensure that these criminal elements are flushed out and peace is restored to our communities,” the ministry’s spokesperson quoted Matawalle as saying.
“We must move against these terrorists to enable our people to move freely.
“The time is up for these bandits and terrorists, as increased and consistent operations will weaken all their bases.”
