Bello Turji, a notorious terror kingpin, has threatened to k!ll his hostages if their families do not pay the ransom he slammed on them.
Turji gave them a two-day deadline that ends on Friday.
In a video, he also threatened the people of Moriki in Zamfara State, warning them not to request the deployment of more soldiers by the government.
Meanwhile, he imposed a fine of ₦50 million on the community, accusing them of supporting what he called injustices committed against his tribe by Nigerian troops.
One of the hostages, speaking in the video, made an emotional plea for help, stating, “We have reached out to our families, but they have not responded. Please, save our souls. If we don’t pay the ransom, they will k!ll us.”
“We have reached out to our families, but they have been silent. They haven’t responded. Please, in the name of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad, save our souls. We have been given a two-day ultimatum. If we don’t pay the ransom, they will kill us. They also threatened to attack Moriki if their demands are not met. They said they will continue their activities,” one of the victims pleaded.
In the video, Turji brazenly stated that even if soldiers were deployed to the area, his group would persist in their attacks, saying, “You can deploy soldiers for a hundred years, we will continue our deadly activities.”
One of the hostages also urged his family not to involve the military, pleading with them to send the ransom immediately.
Another victim, identified as Ahmad Moriki, made a desperate appeal: “Please, we are begging you. If you care for us, save our lives and rescue us. You saw what happened to Seriki Gobir, how he pleaded for his life and how it ended. We don’t want the same fate to befall us.
“They have given us a two-day ultimatum, from now until Friday. Please, come to our aid and save our lives.”
In the video, Turji dismissed reports that he had fled, declaring, “For those saying I ran away, you can see this is my home.”
He gestured to the vast land area around him, saying, “What matters to me is that you k!lled my loved ones.”
Turji then fired a shot into the air, stating, “Whether you accept my terms or not, this is the situation.”
Meanwhile, a former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has called for decisive military action against Turji following the extremist leader’s continued evasion of justice.
Sani made his remarks in response to Turji’s recent audacious actions, stating that the terrorist leader has survived by creating a deceptive image of someone open to dialogue and fighting rival groups.
“The terrorist Turji has survived over the years by portraying himself as one who is ready for dialogue and one who is out to fight other rival terrorist groups; and sadly, some people believed him,” Sani commented.
He emphasized that the recent decision by Nigeria’s military defence chiefs to relocate to Sokoto presents a critical opportunity to neutralize Turji and other high-profile criminals in the region, including Baleri, Dogo Gide, and Alero.
“The relocation of the defence chiefs to Sokoto must take out Turji, Baleri, Dogo Gide, and Alero in the interest of peace in the North West,” Sani said, underscoring the need for an all-out effort to end the reign of terror in the region.
Sani warned that Turji’s survival relies on violent tactics, stating, “Turji lives by the sword.”