Musa Kamarawa, a close associate of a notorious bandit kingpin, Muhammad Bello, aka Turji, has revealed the names of local informants and collaborators who supply uniforms, food and drugs to the terrorists operating in the Sokoto-Zamfara axis of North West Nigeria.
In a video clip monitored, Mr Kamarawa, 33, revealed that the kidnap kingpin’s armoury is an array of assorted weapons including AK 47 rifles, submachine guns, rocket launchers and anti-aircraft guns.
He said Mr Turji had well-established structure of armed men spread across a vast area of their operation.
“Turji is my bosom friend, we are always in touch and we seek each other’s advice on our operations most of the time,” Mr Kamarawa revealed.
He gave the name of one Dr. Abubakar Hashimu Kamarawa as the supplier of shoes and military uniforms to the bandits.
Mr Kamarawa, a nephew to former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, who revealed that his elder brother Basharu is wanted by the Police for conniving with immigration officials to import arms, gave the names of other collaborators as “Yahaya, Dan Tseka, Gwandi and Summallawa”
He said some of them who studied health-related courses supply the hard drugs taken by the bandits before going on operation.
“Pabro who is one of them, is an Igbo pharmacy owner, while Muntari Ajiya is Hausa,” he noted.
On Mr Turji’s manpower strength, Mr Kamarawa said at least 100 armed men guard his base.
“Turji is surrounded by over 100 gunmen from his main operation base, besides other units.
Speaking on Mr Turji’s commanders, Mr Kamarawa said they include Turji’s sibling called Doso; Sani Duna, Bello Danbuzu, Atarwatse, among others.
He further revealed that Kabiru Maniya, Alhaji Shadari are among Mr Turji’s men who update him about their gruesome exploits by sending him WhatsApp photos.
Mr Kamarawa, who regretted his actions, vowed to cooperate with the Nigerian security operatives in exposing all criminal bandits across the region.
Mr Kamarawa was nabbed in Abuja along with one Bashar Audu, a Nigerien national who was caught with a consignment of Indian hemp for Turji’s men.
Turji is a 28-yr-old ruthless bandit leader who is operating in Sokoto and Zamfara State.
He has at various times rejected peace deals with the Zamfara State Government. The only time he said he was open to dialogue was when Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Ahmed Gumi, visited his camp in Zurmi, Zamfara State.
In September 2021, reports emerged that the notorious banditry kingpin has relocated his headquarters from Fakai in Zurmi, Zamfara State, to Isa, east of Sokoto State.