APC Uncovers Fake Membership Card Featuring Notorious Bandit Leader Bello Turji
By Oludare Joshua
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has exposed a fraudulent party membership card in circulation, describing it as a deliberate attempt to tarnish the party’s reputation.
The party’s state spokesman, Yusuf Idris, made this disclosure in a statement issued on Monday.
According to Mr. Idris, the party discovered a forged APC membership card containing a doctored photograph of infamous bandit kingpin Bello Turji, falsely portraying him as a registered party member.
”This malicious act was perpetrated by elements unhappy with the smooth, successful, and coordinated manner in which the ongoing e-registration of members is progressing in the state,” he stated.
Mr. Idris pointed out several obvious indicators of forgery, noting that “even to the ordinary observer, the fabrication is evident from the card itself, which bears an emboldened ’26’ in the date field, referring to the 26th day of January. Similarly, the photograph used is a widely recognized image of this hardened criminal, known to both security agencies and Nigerians nationwide.”
He further explained that proper registration procedures make such forgery impossible. “No individual can be legitimately registered without a National Identification Number (NIN), which Turji does not possess. This renders the mischief-makers’ efforts futile and demonstrates their failure to recognize that APC programs are largely flawless,” Mr. Idris emphasized.
The spokesman highlighted additional inconsistencies, questioning: “The forgers overlooked the fact that before any person is enrolled by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), they must complete a form containing their full information before being captured. How then could NIMC capture someone wearing military uniform with a gun on their shoulders? Are they suggesting NIMC officials are blind or have forgotten that such features are unacceptable?”
Mr. Idris also noted a critical geographical error in the forgery. “From our records of today’s registration in Kware ward, we have no ID number beginning with the code ’26,’ which is designated for Niger State, yet it was fraudulently used for a purported Zamfara membership card,” he explained.
According to the spokesman, preliminary investigations have traced the fabricated card to Babangida Aliyu Shinkafi (also known as Waziri), allegedly associated with Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi. “He was recently suspended from participating in the ongoing e-registration program due to dubious conduct. The forgery is linked to him because it first surfaced on his Facebook page,” Mr. Idris stated.
”The bottom line is that the APC e-registration coordination in Zamfara State and the state chapter of the party wish to completely debunk and distance ourselves from the fake membership card bearing registration number ID: APC 261113000102,” he declared.
He reiterated that identification codes beginning with “26” are designated for Niger State, not Zamfara State, which uses codes starting with “36.” “This clearly demonstrates their ignorance regarding the registration process,” Mr. Idris added.
The party spokesman called on well-meaning citizens to disregard the fraudulent card while investigations into the fabricators continue. “We have reported this forgery case to security agencies, and we are confident the perpetrators will be arrested and prosecuted soon,” he concluded.
