Reports of Bello Turji’s Killing in U.S Airstrike False

Reports circulating on social media claiming that notorious bandit kingpin Bello Turji was killed in a United States airstrike have been confirmed as false by Zagazola Makama’s fact-checking platform.

Findings by Zagazola Fact Check reveal that Turji is alive and has relocated to Dubagale, an area north of Dan Adama village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, approximately 25 kilometres from the border with the Niger Republic.

According to the fact-checking platform, there is no record or confirmation of any airstrike—foreign or domestic—that resulted in the death of the wanted bandit leader.
“The reports are entirely unfounded. Bello Turji was not killed in any airstrike. He is alive and currently taking refuge in Dubagale, close to the Niger border,” the platform stated.

The viral claims, Zagazola Fact Check noted, were likely driven by misinformation and recycled narratives amid intensified counter-banditry and military operations across parts of north-western Nigeria.
Security analysts say such false reports often emerge during periods of heightened military activity, leading to public confusion and the spread of unverified information online.

Bello Turji, a long-wanted bandit leader who operates mainly across Zamfara State and neighbouring areas, has been linked to numerous deadly attacks, mass abductions, cattle rustling, and the large-scale displacement of communities in the region.
Meanwhile, Nigerian security authorities, including the Defence Headquarters and the Nigerian Army, have continued to assure the public of sustained operations aimed at dismantling bandit networks and restoring peace to affected communities.