General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), revealed that notorious terrorist leader Bello Turji is currently in a state of panic due to ongoing military operations targeting terrorists in the North West.
He made this statement during an interview in Abuja on Thursday, October 3.
Musa noted that the recent elimination of key terrorist figures, including Halilu Buzu, has significantly unsettled Turji’s camp. He emphasized that Turji’s recent actions reflect fear and uncertainty.
“You can see from the action that he is taking, you will know that he is in a state of panic,” General Musa stated. “He used to be emboldened to go and talk and talk as if he is the only one in charge. Now he knows he is not in charge. He knows it is a matter of time because Halilu Buzu that was killed was his master.”
The CDS further asserted that Turji is aware he could be next, adding: “So now that he knows his commander is gone, he knows he is next and so all that he is doing now is mere noise-making.”
Musa assured that military operations will persist with the goal of dismantling terrorist networks, predicting that many remaining militants will eventually be neutralized.
He also addressed the factors contributing to ongoing insecurity in the region, such as poverty, illiteracy, and poor governance. “So they have a large population of youths not doing anything. The more we take them out, more are joining them,” he explained.
Additionally, General Musa highlighted the challenges posed by Nigeria’s borders, which terrorists exploit to infiltrate and evade capture. “We have 1,500 kilometers border with Niger Republic. We have another border with Benin Republic and so a lot of people filter in and out within Nigeria. So efforts are being made to ensure that we secure those borders to deny them the ability to move in,” he said.
