Bandits raze abandoned Nigerian Army armoured vehicles stuck in mud

A video has emerged of a jubilant terrorism kingpin, Bello Turji, and his armed bandits celebrating “victory” over the Nigerian military after burning down two Mines Resistant Armour Personnel (MRAP) vehicles stuck in the mud.

Soldiers abandoned the vehicles during an operation in the troubled Zamfara State in the country’s North-west region.

In the video, Mr Turji and his lieutenants are celebrating with victory slogans.

“Bello Turji has seized two trucks. Nigerian Army Bello Turji is coming for you, Insha Allah, if you don’t allow peace to reign. We are telling you and your clerics that we are with Allah”, Mr Turji says as he moves towards the stuck vehicles.

Other terrorists can be heard calling for the burning of the vehicles after removing the essential parts, including ammunition boxes, from the vehicles.

But there were no arms or ammunition in two of the boxes the terrorists displayed while shouting “Allahu Akbar”.

The hundreds of mostly youth bandits are dressed in combat regalia and are chanting “Allahu Akbar” and proclaiming “victory” over the army

On Thursday, soldiers from the Nigerian Army1 Brigade in Gusau, stationed at Zurmi, carried out an offensive against terrorists in a forest in the Kwashabawa area of the Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara.

However, when our reporter contacted him on Sunday, the brigade spokesperson, YA Ibrahim, did not respond to calls to provide details of the incidents.

A security source with knowledge of the operation told PREMIUM TIMES that the failed offensive was targeted at a gathering of terrorist kingpins in a meeting.

“The army got an intelligence report that bandits in large numbers, including several camps comprised of Bello Turji, Sani Black, Na Dutsen Kura, Dan Dogo, Nasanda, and Dankarami, were attending a meeting.

“In the process, one of the trucks got stuck, and another also got stuck while trying to remove it,” the source said, asking not to be named for their personal security reason.

“The army called for reinforcement by the Air Force, but the Air Force failed to respond, citing weather conditions. So, the soldiers retreated from the scene and abandoned the vehicles because they could not move ahead in the dangerous areas unprepared,” the security source added.

The source said the trucks were stuck in the mud for over two days before the bandits arrived in the area and set fire to them.

“It is a well-coordinated operation that comprises a major and two captains. Had the operation been successful, insecurity in Zamfara would have been reduced to the barest minimum.

“Those soldiers attached to Zurmi are trying. So they planned to attack and strike them (bandits), but the air force failed them. The Air Force are behaving as if they come from a different country.

“What happened in Kwashabawa clearly showed that there is no synergy between the land Army and the Air Force, and everyone living in Zurmi can confirm this.

“Two days later, in the afternoon, we saw two fighter jets hovering over the town, and in less than 10 minutes, they disappeared”, the source lamented.