The Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has broken its silence on the party membership card of bandits kingpin Bello Turji in circulation, describing it as a mischievous attempt to spoil the party’s name.

The State APC Publicity Secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris, stated this in a statement issued in Gusau yesterday, Monday, January 26, 2026.

Idris stated that the party has come across a forged APC membership card doctored to contain an edited picture of the notorious bandits’ kingpin, Bello Turji, making him appear to be a registered party member.

“This was carried out by mischievous elements who are not happy with the smooth, successful and coordinated manner in which the ongoing e-registration of members is going in the state.

“Even to the man on the street, the forgery is detectable right from the card in which there’s the emboldened “26” on the date referred to the 26th day of January.

“Similarly, the photograph of the hardened criminal used on the card is his picture, popularly known by both security agencies and Nigerians in general,” Idris said.

Idris added,”No person can be duly registered without a NIN number, which Turji hasn’t, and therefore making nonsense of the efforts of the mischief makers for failing to realise that APC programmes are mostly flawless.

“The forgers forgot that before any person is enrolled by NIMC, he must fill a form that will contain his full information before he is captured.

“How then could NIMC capture him with a military uniform and gun on his shoulders, or are they blind or have forgotten that such features are not acceptable?”

“Also, from our records of today’s registration from Kware ward, we did not have the ID number with the initial ID code ’26’, which is for Niger, but forged for a Zamfara membership card, let alone the name.

“Preliminary investigation has already linked the mischievous card to one of Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi’s boys, Babangida Aliyu Shinkafi (Waziri), who was recently suspended from participating in the ongoing e-registration programme due to his dubious attitude.

“The forgery is linked to him because it first appeared on his Facebook page.

“Bottom line is, the APC e-registration coordination in Zamfara and indeed the state’s chapter of the party wish to completely debunk and distance themselves from the fake membership card with registration number: ID: APC 261113000102.”

He added that the code, which started with 26, is for Niger, not Zamfara, which has the code starting with 36, while “this clearly shows their ignorance of the registration.

Idris said, “We therefore call on the well-meaning citizens to disregard the card while the investigation into the fabricators is being conducted.

“We have reported the forgery case to the security agencies, and we are sure the perpetrator will be arrested and prosecuted soon.” (Adapted from a Vanguard report)

Update news