Notorious bandit Bello Turji and his gang have reportedly seized vehicles, including an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), belonging to the Nigerian Army. Footage circulating on social media shows Turji and his cohort celebrating their victory while displaying captured military ammunition.
The incident has been verified by ZagaZola Makama, a counterinsurgency and security expert with keen insights into the Lake Chad region. Makama explained that the Nigerian Army received a distress call indicating a high-level meeting of bandits at a designated location within Turji’s camp. In response, a team of troops, led by a young officer, was dispatched to the scene.
However, the operation faced significant challenges when the team’s vehicle became immobilized in the marshy terrain, impeding their progress. Reports indicate that the troops soon came under heavy fire from the bandits, resulting in prolonged gunfire that lasted several hours.
“Weather conditions, particularly heavy rainfall, delayed air support throughout the day, allowing the bandits to fortify their positions,” Makama stated. Efforts to use another Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle to extricate the stranded unit also ended in failure, as it too became bogged down in the mud.
Despite reinforcements being sent to the area, the situation became untenable for the initial troops, who ultimately had to withdraw, leaving behind their vehicles. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported during the exchange.
Shortly after the troops retreated, Turji and his gang were seen celebrating at the site, firing weapons into the air and boasting about their successful ambush on the military personnel.
As of now, the Nigerian Army has not issued an official statement confirming the incident.
For exclusive footage of the celebration, watch video below;
