Army Confirms Bello Turji's Fighters Undergoing Weapons Training in Sokoto – Fresh Alarm in North-West

June 22, 2026 – Sokoto, Nigeria

The Nigerian Army has confirmed receiving intelligence reports that notorious bandit leader Bello Turji and his loyalists are conducting weapons training and tactical drills in parts of Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Security tensions have escalated across communities in Eastern Sokoto following the confirmation. Findings indicate that fighters linked to Bello Turji are engaged in weapons training and tactical exercises using newly acquired arms, including some of the same sophisticated weapons reportedly deployed during recent confrontations with security forces.

According to sources, the training is intended to strengthen Turji's fighters operating within the border communities of Sokoto and Zamfara states. Some of the new arrivals reportedly possess advanced combat and weapons-handling skills and have been deployed to strengthen and train Turji's fighters operating across border communities.

The development has sparked renewed fear among residents of border communities who have long suffered repeated bandit attacks, kidnappings, and cattle rustling along the Sokoto–Zamfara corridor.

The report has also raised concerns that Turji may be collaborating with Boko Haram to train and equip new fighters. Some sources have suggested that Turji has acquired sophisticated weapons and is using a strategic base for the recruitment, indoctrination, and training of fighters who are later deployed to carry out attacks across communities in the North-West.

The Nigerian Army has not yet issued a detailed statement on the intelligence findings. However, security sources have indicated that the military is monitoring the situation and may launch operations to disrupt the training activities.

The confirmation that Turji's fighters are undergoing weapons training and tactical drills is a worrying development that underscores the growing sophistication of bandit groups in the North-West. The acquisition of advanced weapons and the training of new fighters could enable the groups to carry out more deadly attacks, further destabilising the region. The government must respond decisively to prevent the situation from escalating.