Bandit kingpin, Bello Turji speak, says Matawalle not ‘our sponsor’, but God alone

Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has asserted that his group’s actions are divinely sanctioned, rejecting claims that the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is backing his operations.

Turji’s declaration comes in the midst of a public dispute between Matawalle and his successor, Governor Dauda Lawal, regarding accusations of supporting terrorism in Zamfara State.

With this assertion, observers say the minister is now clearly exonerated.
It would be recalled that both politicians have exchanged accusations, with Matawalle recently daring Lawal to swear on the Quran that he is not connected to the state’s banditry crisis.

In response, Turji denied any involvement of both Matawalle in the ongoing banditry, rejecting claims that his group is receiving political backing from the former governor.

In his latest video, Turji stated: “Governor Dauda Lawal accusing Bello Matawalle of being terrorist sponsors won’t solve anything.

“When Matawalle was governor, who was sponsoring us? Likewise, when Abdulaziz Yari was governor, who was sponsoring us? No one is supporting us except God,” he said.