FACT-CHECK: Did Troops Kill Scores of Bandits in Sabon Birni and Isa on November 15?
Recent media reports have claimed that Nigerian troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, as part of Operation FARAUTAR MUJIYA, engaged and killed scores of bandits at the camp of notorious bandit leader Bello Turji in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas on November 15, 2024. The reports, amplified by an international news outlet citing a local source, suggested that the alleged operation took place within the communities.
Military Sources Dispute the Claims
Contrary to these reports, credible military sources have clarified that no such engagement occurred in Sabon Birni or Isa on the said date. According to official accounts, the most recent clash involving security forces in the region took place two days earlier, on November 13, in Fadamar Gabaschi in Gatawa.
During that encounter, Nigerian troops, in collaboration with the Zamfara State Security Watch, successfully thwarted a planned attack by Bello Turji’s group. The insurgents were pushed back in the operation, with one vehicle destroyed during the encounter.
The media reports appear to have misrepresented the facts by suggesting a recent clash in Sabon Birni and Isa.
