By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
Residents of Kwara State are now in fears that the head of the notorious
bandits gang terrorizing Zamfara State had relocared to the state.
A serving member of the House of Representatives from Sokoto State was reported to have said on the social media that the bandits’ kingpin, named Bello Turji, and his followers were not having it easy with the growing superior fire powers of security forces in Zamfare State, forcing him to flee to Kwara.
Worse still, Turji’s boys, who were believed to be fierce and very deadly were said to be already hatching plans to join their boss in Kwara, to possibly shift their banditry to the state.
However, in a statement, the Kwara State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ajayi Okasanmi, assured residents of the state that the police had put in place adequate measures to secure lives and properties.
He stated that “the command wishes to also inform the general public that necessary security strategies have been emplaced across the length and breadth of the state by the Police Command, in synergy with sister security agencies, and other non-state actors.”
Okasanmi added, “This press statement became necessary to diffuse the tension already created in the minds of the public by the statement making the rounds on many social media platforms, credited to one federal lawmaker in the House of Representatives, to the effect that, a fleeing bandit kingpin, named Bello Turji, and his gang, who were facing a terrible time with security forces in Zamfara State have relocated to an unidentified forest in Kwara State.
“However, the statement did not reveal the source or veracity of its assertion. the command wishes to state categorically that Kwara State is safe and secure, members of the public are advised to go about their lawful businesses without fear of attack or intimidation.
“All the boundaries, both local and international within the state, have been well and massively policed by both the police and the military. Vigilante and local hunters are working tirelessly with security agents to ensure that our forests are well monitored and protected.”
Okasanmi added that the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, CP Tuesday Assayomo, psc+, has directed a 24-hour patrols of all entry and exit points to the state, while tactical units have been re- energized with provision of additional patrol vehicles and other needed tools and incentives that could aid them in the performance of their assigned task.
He added, “The CP advises members of the public to make information of strange movements and activties around them available to the security agencies at all times.”
