Reports that bandit kingpin Bello Turji was killed in a United States airstrike are false, Zagazola Makama’s fact‑checking platform has confirmed. Turji is reportedly alive and has moved to Dubagale, north of Dan Adama village in Sabon Birni, Sokoto roughly 25 kilometres from the Niger Republic border.
Zagazola Fact Check investigated viral claims circulating on social media and found no evidence to support the assertion that Turji was killed by a US strike. Instead, the platform reports that the bandit leader is taking refuge in Dubagale, near the international boundary with Niger.
The false reports appear to have been amplified by recycled narratives and unverified content tied to recent counter‑banditry operations in north‑west Nigeria. Zagazola’s findings underscore the need for caution before sharing casualty claims in an environment where fast-moving security developments and rumours frequently converge.
Turji is a long‑wanted armed leader who has been implicated in numerous attacks, mass abductions and large‑scale displacement across Zamfara and neighbouring states. Local and international authorities continue operations against bandit groups in the region, but independent confirmation from security agencies is required for any claims of targeted strikes or fatalities.
Source
Zagazola Makama’s Zagazola Fact Check
