Bandits kidnaps 50 elders who came seeking peace in Zamfara

No fewer than 50 elderly residents of Magamin Diddi village in the Magami/Faru ward of Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been abducted by bandits while attempting to broker peace with a notorious gang leader in the area.

Daily Trust reports that the victims were reportedly kidnapped by a feared bandit kingpin identified as Jammo, who operates from the Muntsira Forest in Maradun LGA.

Chairman of Maradun Local Government Area, Hon. Bello Dosara, confirmed the incident, describing the development as unfortunate and stressing that the reconciliation mission was undertaken without the approval of either the local government or the state government.

According to Dosara, the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal has consistently opposed negotiations and reconciliation agreements with armed bandits.

“We are against reconciliation with bandits, and Governor Dauda Lawal has never supported such arrangements. Unfortunately, the community members decided to proceed with the meeting without informing the authorities,” he said.

Bandits

The council chairman explained that despite security challenges in the area, the local government had been providing weekly security escorts to enable residents access markets and carry out essential activities safely.

He expressed surprise that the villagers chose to engage directly with the same group that had restricted their access to economic activities.

“I don’t understand why they decided to meet with people who had blocked their access to markets when the government has been supporting them with security protection every week,” Dosara said.

He disclosed that 11 of the abducted persons had since regained their freedom, while 39 others remain in captivity.

According to him, those released were allowed to return to their communities to relay information about the incident and the demands of their captors.

Also speaking, the councillor representing Magami/Faru ward, Bello Husseini, revealed that tensions between local vigilante operatives, known as Askarawa, and the bandit group had escalated in recent months.

He said security operatives had earlier killed two of Jammo’s lieutenants and recovered their rifles during an encounter. However, the bandits later launched a reprisal attack during the Ramadan period, killing two members of the Askarawa group and seizing their weapons.

Husseini stated that Jammo subsequently sought reconciliation after one of his associates was killed during a military operation in Kandare village.

According to him, community leaders agreed to the proposal despite government opposition and constituted a 50-member delegation to meet the bandit leader.

“On arrival, Jammo betrayed them. Instead of holding peace talks, he abducted the delegation members and later released only 11 of them,” the councillor said.

He further disclosed that the bandit leader is demanding N24 million in exchange for three rifles allegedly seized from his group.

Husseini maintained that the government was right to reject reconciliation efforts with bandits, arguing that criminal groups could not be trusted to honour agreements.

“The people being held are elderly men who went there in good faith. He claimed he was tired of banditry and wanted peace, but he betrayed them,” he said.

The councillor, who said he had been forced to relocate from the ward because of insecurity, called on security agencies to launch sustained operations against criminal elements operating in Dajin Natsira forest.

Both the local government chairman and the councillor appealed to the state and federal governments to intensify military operations in the area, arguing that dismantling bandit camps in the forest would significantly improve security across several local government areas in Zamfara State.

They specifically urged Governor Dauda Lawal and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to intervene and secure the release of those still in captivity.

Jammo is believed to be one of the most influential bandit leaders operating within the Dajin Natsira axis, which covers several settlements, including Bayan Ruwa, Kwargwaro, Aljumma Fulani, Gidan Dawa and Kyetare.