Zamfara community makes case for bandits’ kingpin, Turji describes him as their protector

 Some residents of Fakai in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State have expressed fears that the military bombardment on Turji’s camp may seriously affect them.

Mahmud Shinkafi who claimed to be the leader of the community group told DAILY POST correspondent in Zamfara that they were tired of running about in search of safety.

Shinkafi said the bandits’ kingpin, Turji has been protecting their environment from attacks by other bandits’ group.

“Actuality we are not comfortable with the attack on Turji’s camps because we have been enjoining a relative peace since he entered into dialogue with the state government”

The source further disclosed that Turji’s gang has not attacked anybody in the axis, saying that he maintained law and order following the agreements he signed with the state government.

“The government should also realize that we are at the recieving end and should not do anything that will hurt us”

” We are not supporting banditry activities but we are trying to protect ourselves from banditry activities”

The villagers lamented that the attack on Turji’s camps may affect them directly or indirectly, saying that for the past six months, they have not witnessed any attack by Turji’s gang.

They appealed to the state to allow sleeping dogs lie, since the villagers have been doing their legitimate endevours without any harassment.

“We are appealing to Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle to leave Bello Turji alone since we are no longer complaining about terror attacks”

“We are now relaxing, doing our farming perfectly as normal because Turji did not instruct his boys to attack anybody either in the farms or at home.

” They live within us and they have never harassed anyone of us because we are hiding under their umbrella for protection from other bandits ”

“We always give them whatever they want to allow us do our legitimate farming activities in the area”