Zamfara APC Denies Alleged Registration of Bandit Leader Bello Turji as Party Member

The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has firmly disassociated itself from claims that notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, registered as a member of the ruling party, describing the widely circulated membership slip as fake and forged.

The denial followed the circulation of images on social media over the past 48 hours, showing what appeared to be an APC membership card bearing Bello Turji’s name and details. The development sparked widespread reactions and raised questions about the credibility of the party’s ongoing electronic membership registration exercise in the state.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris Gusau, said the alleged membership card was the handiwork of mischievous individuals bent on tarnishing the image of the APC and undermining its e-registration process. He noted that the slip showed obvious signs of forgery, including the use of a commonly circulated photograph of the bandit leader known to security agencies and the general public.

Gusau explained that the APC’s electronic registration process requires every applicant to possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN), stressing that Bello Turji could not have met such a requirement. According to him, no individual can be registered without proper biometric capture and documentation, which further invalidates the alleged membership slip.

He also pointed out discrepancies in the registration number displayed on the card, noting that it carried an ID code assigned to Niger State rather than Zamfara State. Gusau said Zamfara’s official registration code begins with “36,” while the forged slip carried “26,” which clearly exposes the ignorance of those behind the forgery.

The party disclosed that preliminary investigations have traced the fake card to a disgruntled individual who was recently suspended from participating in the e-registration exercise due to questionable conduct. The APC said the matter has been reported to security agencies for thorough investigation and prosecution.

The party urged the public to disregard the fake membership slip, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, due process, and internal integrity.