.As terrorist leader, Bello Turji threatens Zamfara, Sokoto residents over arrest of members
Human rights activist and former senator who represented Kaduna Central zone Shehu Sani, has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding claims of French military presence in Nigeria.
In a tweet shared on his verified Twitter account on Thursday, Sani highlighted the conflicting narratives between the Nigerian Federal Government and the military leadership of Niger Republic regarding the issue.
Sani stated, “The Military President of Niger Republic insisted that there is France military presence in Nigeria while the Federal Government has consistently denied the existence of French military bases in the country. Linguistics experts in English and French should help us in differentiating between ‘Presence’ and ‘Bases.’”
The statement draws attention to the nuanced difference between “military presence” and “military bases,” suggesting that the Federal “Government may be playing with semantics in its denial.
While military bases imply permanent, strategic facilities used by foreign forces, military presence could range from temporary deployments to collaborative operations.
“The controversy arose after the Nigerien junta alleged that French forces were stationed in Nigeria amid rising tensions in the Sahel region.
“However, the federal government had repeatedly dismissed these claims, emphasizing that there are no foreign military bases on its soil.
Sani’s remarks underline the need for clarity and transparency from both sides to avoid further confusion.
He also called for input from linguistic experts to dissect the implications of the terms being used in the debate.
The issue of foreign military involvement in West Africa has remained a sensitive subject, particularly as regional security concerns escalate. Critics have called on the Nigerian government to provide more detailed explanations to reassure the public and uphold its sovereignty.
Meanwhile, Bello Turji, a notorious terrorist leader, has issued a threat to residents of Zamfara and Sokoto States, accusing them of aiding the Nigerian military in capturing his key lieutenants.
In a video released on Christmas Day, Turji vowed to make 2025 a year of violent reprisals if his demands for the release of his “brothers” were not met, specifically targeting residents of Shinkafi, Isa, and Zurmi.
His threats come after the Nigerian military’s announcement on December 20 that it had captured top members of his network, including Bako Wurgi, Abubakar Muhammad, and Hamisu Sale, in an operation.
accused residents of Shinkafi, Isa, and Zurmi of providing intelligence to the military that led to the arrests, threatening deadly consequences for any town that defied his directives.
“We are calling on the residents of Shinkafi, Isa, Zurmi, and its environs in this coming year, 2025 if you don’t address those informants responsible for the killing of our brothers, you will face the consequences. You know we are killers, we know how to kill. You people see us as uncivilized; we also see you as such.
“Any town that fails to obey our directives, we are going to turn it into rubble,” Turji warned, pointing at dilapidated buildings near him as a demonstration of his threats.
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