It was a mixed bag of reactions in Nigeria’s security community following reports that troops killed the son of notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, in a recent operation.

The development triggered debate, with some hailing the military’s efforts in tackling banditry, while others raised concerns about the implications of targeting family members of high-profile criminals.

Combined ground and air troops under Operation Fansan Yanma (OPFY) escalated their offensive against Turji in Zamfara State. Recent coordinated military strikes were said to have dismantled his key hideouts in Fakai, a stronghold in Shinkafi Local Council, where Turji and his fighters had been operating for a long time.

The latest onslaught against the notorious terrorist came after a series of successful missions that destroyed multiple bandit camps in Sabon Birni Local Council of Zamfara.

Among the camps targeted were Zangon Dan Gwandi, ZangonTsaika, ZangonKagara, and a school reportedly used by Turji to store food and arms.The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that Turji’s group suffered significant losses, as his son was killed during the operation.

Many of Turji’s associates, including high-profile lieutenants, were reportedly neutralised during the strikes. Security expert, Frank Oshanugor, lauded the troops for taking down the son of one of Nigeria’s most dreaded terrorists living.

He said, “With this recent development of having killed Bello Turji’s son by Nigeria’s military, it becomes evident that our troops have gone on a serious offensive against the terrorists.

“Obviously, the death of his son would leave some psychological depression on the side of Turji and it may begin to dawn on him that the end is possibly in sight.

Congratulating the troops, he urged them to sustain the tempo towards crushing Turji and his band of dangerous terrorist elements in that part of Nigeria. Security pundit at the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, noted that the recent escalation of military offensives against Turji, as well as the dismantling of his hideouts and the confirmed death of his son, signified a pivotal moment in the fight against banditry in Zamfara and the North West region as a whole.

“These developments suggest that Turji’s grip is weakening, but his complete downfall depends on sustained pressure. Leaders like Turji are adept at exploiting terrain and tribal alliances to survive. However, his forced relocation and the loss of key supporters are signs that his end is approaching if the current momentum is maintained,” Makama added.

National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Emmanuel Onwubiko, differed from the stakeholders. According to him, the heightened state of counter-terror attacks by the military is commendable and should be sustained.

The HURIWA boss said, “Working in synergy by all the Armed Forces would naturally bring greater results. The quick-win strategy is for the military to upgrade the attacks and ensure that the kingpins in the North West and North East are degraded, decimated and destroyed so that stability and peace can return to that section of Nigeria.

“The military should also have a backup strategy to forestall any backslash in the South. The military should not let Boko Haram terrorists take them by surprise by storming southern Nigeria. As for whether the end to Turji Bello is imminent, Nigerians are anxiously waiting for a success story in that regard.”

However, security expert and scholar, Chukwuka Oji, queried how the military was able to identify the slain man as Turji’s son. He argued: “Every time we hear the same story. How did the military know that the person they killed was Turji’s son? How many times have they told us that they have killed Turji, yet he is still giving security agencies hell?

“Let the military purge itself of saboteurs in the system. The military can’t win the war if there are still moles in the house. I don’t believe in the story the military is dishing out that they have dismantled his stronghold. Next time, the stronghold will still be dismantled.” (The Guardian)