Explosive Revelation: Bello Turji Confirms Matawalle Meeting, Rubs Off ₦30m Settlement Claims

Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has acknowledged engaging in peace talks with officials of the Zamfara State Government during the administration of former governor Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

However, Turji strongly refuted allegations that he received ₦30 million as part of the negotiations.

His response followed claims by Musa Muhammad Kamara, a former Special Assistant under the Matawalle government, who alleged that he personally facilitated the transfer of cash and vehicles to bandit commanders during the peace process.

In an audio recording circulating on social media, Turji dismissed the claim as false, insisting he never received any such payment.

“By Allah, since I was born, I have never had up to five million naira,” he said. “What I do is not for personal benefit. We were never given the ₦30 million being mentioned.”

He maintained that the engagement with government officials was strictly a peace initiative and that he did not gain financially from the talks.

Turji accused Kamara of offering “false testimony” and breaching the trust built during the negotiations, stressing that he did not receive even ₦3 million.

While denying the alleged payout, the bandit leader redirected blame to past political leadership in the region, accusing former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto states, as well as ex-governor Ahmed Sani Yerima, of fueling insecurity.

According to him, the former leaders armed groups and encouraged the creation of vigilantes that targeted Fulani communities, worsening the violence.

“We openly state that former governors of Zamfara and Sokoto, alongside Ahmed Sani Yerima, are responsible for the calamities that befell these states,” Turji alleged, calling for their arrest and investigation.

He concluded by distancing his group from political interests, saying, “We are not politicians, and we are not tools of politicians. There is no individual backing us.”