Fifty elderly inhabitants of Magamin Diddi village in Zamfara State’s Magami/Faru Ward were kidnapped after visiting the bandits’ stronghold while on a peace mission to reconcile with them.
The chairman of Maradun Local Government, Bello Dosara, confirmed the occurrence but stated that the locals met with the bandit kingpin without government authority. He went on to say that Jammo, the bandit chief who operates out of Muntsira Forest in Zamfara State’s Maradun LGA, was to blame for the abduction.
“We are against reconciliation with the bandits, and Governor Dauda Lawal never supported that, but unknown to us, the people chose to go on with it,” Dosara stated.
Dosara went on to explain that the bandit kingpin had prohibited the villagers’ access to the market, but the local government had continuously provided them with weekly security escorts to ensure their safety while travelling to and from the market.
The council chairman also confirmed the release of 11 of the abducted locals, with the remaining 39 still being held captive.
“He released some to just brief the people on the unfortunate incident,” he said.
Also speaking, Bello Husseini, a councillor representing Magami/Faru Ward, stated that the bandit kingpin, Jammo, who has been terrorising the area, had previously clashed with the Zamfara State security outfit, Askarawa, during which two of his lieutenants were murdered and their firearms recovered.
However, during the final fasting time, the bandits staged a retaliatory attack, killing two Askarawa troops and taking their firearms.
“You see, we are one to one; they killed two of us and took away their rifles, and we also killed them and possessed their firearms initially,” Husseini replied.
He further stated that the bandit leader wanted reconciliation after one of his fighters was killed during a recent military raid in Kandare village, which the residents allowed despite the government’s stance prohibiting such conversations.
According to Husseini, Jammo is now asking N24 million in compensation for the three seized guns.
“We oppose any form of reconciliation because we know they are untrustworthy; they can speak one true statement against a hundred lies.” The persons he took captive were elderly, and he had no motive to do so; he misled them by claiming he was tired of banditry and wanted to reconcile,” Husseini stated.
The councilman went on to say that he had moved out of his ward due to insecurity, notwithstanding his aversion to any type of reconciliation.
The chairman and councillor jointly urged the government and security services to launch an operation against the “Dajin Natsira,” claiming that the bandits operating there have never faced continuous military engagement in Zamfara State’s banditry history.