State governments in the North-west and Niger State in the North-central in efforts to check banditry, have signed peace deals with bandits, but these deals have often collapsed due to the inability of the bandits to maintain their side of the bargain.
The deals had in some cases generated mixed reactions from citizens. While some welcomed it as great achievements, others have reservations on them, especially as they are often violated, leading to further mayhem on the people.
The first deal in Sokoto State was struck at Isa Local Government Area in 2016 with the current Commissioner for Career and Security Matters, retired Colonel Garba Moyi, who was the chairman of the local government at the time. However, the deal was short-lived, necessitating the second meeting in 2019 which also collapsed, according to our findings, as a result of the failure of the bandits to abide by the terms and conditions.
An insider to all the deals told Daily Trust Saturday that the bandits had two major camps in the eastern part of the state, the Halilu and Turji camps, both involved in the meetings.
“The Halilu camp is more responsive as they surrendered over 100 weapons after the deals and since the deal was struck, his boys ceased fire until lately but the Turji camp has been breaching the deals, even on surrendering of weapons as they only surrendered eight weapons.
“So, the bandits failed everybody, they failed to comply with terms of the last meetings,” he said.
On why they thought the current peace deal would succeed, he said: “With the level of commitment we saw in them and the fact that they were under pressure, this will succeed.
“We have the bargaining power because they were forced into submission by the air strikes by the Nigerian Air Force, and we will not allow this opportunity to slip out of our hands.
“All they wanted was stoppage of the air bombardment and they promised to stop attacking, kidnapping and rustling animals. In fact, they have returned almost all the rustled animals and since our meetings commenced, there were no reports of killings or kidnappings in the area,” he added.
What triggered the new peace deal
Our correspondent gathered that after the failure of the previous deal, there was carnage resulting in the loss of over 100 lives in Gangara, Gidan Bature, Garki, Masama, Dan aduwa and other areas.
Thereafter, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal sought to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, which was obliged and after that, several measures were taken by the federal government including the deployment of the air force, army and police to end banditry in the state.
It was further gathered that the security fire power became so intense that the bandits started calling for a fresh peace deal with the state government.
“Their leader contacted me and I informed the governor about it and the matter was tabled during the state security council meeting and subsequently, a decision was taken to sit with them and hear what they had to say,” said a source who requested not to be named.
“Based on that, a committee was set up involving all the security agencies and the government. We then set a date with them at Isa and we met with their representatives.
“The Commissioner, Career and Security Matters led the team and we went and sat with them in Isa and had a fruitful discussion.
“They made several requests; one was the stoppage of the air bombardment; that we should stop arresting and harassing Fulanis in the state; that they should be allowed to go to the village market and move freely within the state.
“And from the government’s side, we asked them to release anybody in captivity immediately, all rustled animals must be released and no more attacking or kidnapping within the state.
“We also asked them not to enter market or village with any weapon or incriminating item, should they do that they would be arrested. With that we sealed the agreement. All the security agencies and representatives of the bandits signed the deal while the commissioner signed it on behalf of the state government,” he said.
In honouring that agreement, they set eight people free, three from Isa, two from Sabon Birni, and three from Wurno local government areas.
“Then they brought back rustled livestock to the various local government headquarters for owners to come and identify and carry them. On our side, we suspended the air strikes, and allowed them to patronize the markets and visit their relatives.”
He added that another meeting was summoned, involving all the sole administrators of the affected local government areas, district heads and religious leaders as well as Ardos (Fulanis leaders), security agencies and representatives of the bandits.
At the meeting, representatives of the bandits were directed to inform their leaders to set a date for the next meeting which they must be physically present.
How banditry started in Sokoto
Sokoto was not hard hit until the crisis in Zamfara got out of hand. The bandits started moving towards Sokoto which they considered safe to take cover and operate from.
It was said that when they came, they started fighting farmers and vigilante groups and at a point, security agents.
When they knew that they could not win the war, they started attacking villages and markets.
Speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, the Commissioner, Career and Security Matters, retired Colonel Garba Moyi, said the bandits were expected to fix a date for the submission of all their weapons.
“We want the deal to be total because without peace all the things we promised them like the dam, grazing reserves and cattle routes will not happen.
“We want them to tell us when they will submit all their weapons and we will tell them when they will receive their palliatives but money was not part of the agreement.
“We believe that a peaceful resolution of the crisis is the best way to get rid of it. Even the world wars ended on negotiating tables because no peace is achieved with the barrel of the gun,” he said.
Moyi said despite the efforts, there were some areas still experiencing banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery in the state. They areas, he said, include Binji, Silame, Tangaza, Gudu, Illela and Gwadabawa which are linked to a forest.
He said the bandits in those areas broke away from the peace deal but the army had set up a formidable force to clear the forest.
“In the next few days, the clearance would be over because they have cleared many places and are now in Gudu. And once that is done, we are finally done with the axis.
“There were also reports of some skirmishes around Kuchi, Fakko and Sange in Kebbi local government areas which we believe is an infiltration from Kebbi and Zamfara states by bandits,” he said.
The spokesmen of the 8th Division, Nigerian Army and the Sokoto State Police Command declined comments on the peace deal.
In Zamfara, no regrets entering peace with bandits
Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has been making desperate efforts to check banditry.
He said in Gusau while commiserating with families of victims in Unguwar Rogo, Karda, Bidda and Kajera of Tsafe Local Government Area as well as Kabaje of Kaura-Namoda LGA that he had been working round the clock, having sleepless nights, holding meetings with the security chieftains and other stakeholders.
He said: “We have assurances from the leaders of Fulani groups who have embraced our peace overtures that they will reach out to the recalcitrant groups responsible for the attacks and persuade them to accept our peace pact.
“While we are committed to our dialogue and reconciliation initiative, we will spare no effort in enforcing the security of lives and property of our people.”
The governor added that his government would continue to honour agreements reached with the bandits but would confront those who violate the agreement with the full force of the law.
Matawalle said negotiating with bandits was the best option for lasting peace, adding that he had no regrets choosing the option.
He spoke against the backdrop of opinions against the efficacy of the peace approach.
“We applied the peace accord as a means of honest solution to the problem in Zamfara State which has yielded tremendous result never expected in the last one year,” the governor said, noting however that even amidst the heavy presence of the military and relentless offensives against the bandits, wanton killings and maiming still increased in frightening proportion.
He however said the government’s honesty and focus in the deal resulted in some reduction in attacks which allowed roads, markets, schools and farms to be re-opened, just as nearly 1000 people were released by ex-bandits and thousands of dangerous weapons were surrendered.
Why Zamfara entered peace deal
In June 2019, a landmark deal in the Zamfara peace process was struck between the local vigilante groups known as Yan Sakai and top notchers of armed bandits in the state. The peace deal was initiated by Governor Bello Muhammad Mutawalle shortly after he took oath of office.
There had been series of meetings and peace conferences involving the state commissioner of police, other heads of security agencies and numerous stakeholders in the process.
Armed bandits’ commanders in different camps across the state sent in their representatives to the peace meetings. Their attendance had boosted the morale of the negotiators that the armed men would help restore peace to the state.
Fulani leaders including the national president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammadu Kiruwa, the leaders of the Yan Sakai and many other stakeholders attended the conferences.
Shortly after the deal, peace began to return to rural communities in the state. The deadly attacks ceased and farmers returned to their farms.
Activities in the rural markets in the state had begun to pick up. Markets in Dangulbi, Dansadau, Yar tasha, Kasuwar Daji, Dauran, Mada and many more recorded tremendous increase in trading activities.
Checks by Daily Trust Saturday showed that bandits had begun attending local marketplaces without being arrested and summarily executed or intimidated by the local vigilante groups otherwise known as Yan Sakai.
This, Daily Trust Saturday learnt, bolstered the confidence of the armed men in accepting the deal and helping to work out modalities that would ensure the restoration of peace and tranquility to the state.
One of the cardinal demands by the armed bandits before they could agree to halt deadly attacks on rural communities is that the Yan Sakai should halt further extra judicial execution of people, largely of Fulani extraction, in market places.
The blockade put on local markets against the Fulani, Daily Trust learnt, had seriously put the armed men in dilemma and they became very disturbed.
However almost a year after the peace deal, an altercation between herders and farmers caused a stir in some communities in Gwalli district in Gummi area of the state,
Reports said some herders believed to have migrated from either Shinkafi or Birnin Magaji local government areas of the state during the administration of former governor Abdulaziz Yari decided to settle at an area west of Gwalli community in Gummi Local Government Area of the state.
“The Abdulaziz Yari-led government wrote a letter to Gummi emirate council, Gummi local government and local security chiefs ordering the herders to leave the area on the suspicion that they could be criminals”
“When the herders settled at the area they began to purchase lands and some other property largely through the local chiefs in the area. The herders settled and starting working on the lands they purchased and suddenly there was an order by authorities for them to leave the area.
“On the premise of the order some unscrupulous elements decided to take the advantage of the situation and began to confiscate the property acquired by the herders. They drove the herders away and took over their lands.
“Unknown to the authorities that the herders who reportedly migrated to the neighbouring Kebbi State were planning to avenge the treatment meted out to them. However the crisis was later resolved,” Aliyu Yusuf, a resident, said.
Katsina peace deals violated by bandits
In Katsina State, two peace deals were separately signed by the state government and bandits. The first was on January 15, 2017 that lasted for two years while the second took place between September 4 and 9, 2019.
Both deals, the governor said, were entered into in order to halt the “incessant wanton destruction of lives and property” in the state.
There were several attacks in different parts of the state during which scores were killed, others abducted, animals rustled and houses set ablaze. But worthy of mention were the Mai Gora attacks in Faskari LGA which affected about four villages and at least 96 people were reported to have been killed.
Another major attack was the Kadisau invasion in which at least 52 persons were reportedly killed in villages in three local government areas of Faskari, Sabuwa and Dandume. Some reports had it that at least 73 bodies were evacuated from the affected villages.
Also at Yankara Village, on June 9, 2020 at least 60 people were reportedly killed during bandits’ attacks.
In an interview with Daily Trust Saturday, the special assistant to the Katsina State governor on security matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad Katsina, said the peace deals which were done in good faith were violated by the bandits for three reasons.
“Firstly, due to the low level of literacy and exposure of the bandits, they failed to understand the good gesture offered to them by the governor. Secondly, most people think criminality is lucrative and that is why the bandits decided to betray the deal because they could not leave the bad habit,” he said.
He added that the third reason was that the neighbouring state of Zamfara was not at the time in such a peace deal with the bandits and that gave them the latitude to relocate to Zamfara from where they continued to launch attacks against the Katsina communities.
Alhaji Katsina said for any of such deal to succeed, the states adjoining Kastina must be part of it, otherwise it would continue to be an exercise in futility as the bandits will always have a base to launch attacks.
He said the state could not continue to enter into peace deals with bandits who will always abuse and betray the agreement, thinking that the state was desperate for the peace accord.
He added that the government would allow the military operations to continue until the time when the groups seek peace themselves then the federal government, in whose hands the instruments of coercion are, could offer safe corridors to them. Despite concerted efforts by the government, at least 30 people were killed in attacks on farmers by bandits in Damkal and Tsanwa villages in Batsari Local Government Area of the state in early Fedruary, an act condemned by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari said: “No one in the country has a right to take laws into his hands by the way of self-help or revenge”, adding, “killing people in the name of revenge is not acceptable.
“Local communities that catch bandits should hand over the suspects to law enforcement authorities instead of meting out capital punishment, leading to a cycle of revenge and counter revenge.”
He urged community leaders and the local authorities to continue partnership with law enforcement agencies against bandits to enhance peace between farmers and herdsmen.
Niger peace deal fumbles despite govt optimism
The peace pact entered by the Niger State government with armed bandits terrorizing villages in the state seems not be of any help in curbing the attacks, our correspondent reports.
This is because many villages in state are said to be still under persistent attacks, leading to maiming, kidnapping and killing of people as well as destruction of property worth millions of naira.
It would be recalled that the state government last year entered into a peace pact with leaders of the bandits.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane who led the government’s side to the peace deal, said the effort had been quite beneficial.
According to him, key among the terms of the agreement was that the state government would secure the release of members of the bandits who were found not to be culpable in the attacks but were in police custody.
He said the deal which began in Kotonkoro in Mariga Local Government Area was in line with the understanding reached during a meeting of the northern states governors to explore the dialogue option in ending banditry in the zone.
He said the Kotonkoro interface was the first phase of the deal, adding that the second and third phases of the discussion would take place in Pandogari, Rafi Local Government Area and Erena in Shiroro Council respectively.
In fulfilment of the Kotonkoro pact, the state government recently effected the release of 13 bandits earlier arrested by security operatives. Governor Bello who announced the release of the bandits during the International Day of Peace said the gesture was a significant step in halting the menace.
Bello opined that his interface with them had led him into understanding the inherent misunderstandings which pushed them into violent protests, adding that with the “ongoing dialogue a lasting peace is possible”.
He said like other aggrieved segments of the society, the bandits also had their stories of injustice, neglect and pains that had festered over time and, “Having listened to their grievances we are now on the path to an enduring peace”. He noted that the state government had put in place measures aimed at rehabilitating the repentant bandits.
Even though the peace deal yielded some positive results at the initial stage as more bandits surrendered arms in a quite ceremony requested by them, they seem to have gone back to attacking the villages as there is no week that passes without a record of attacks in different villages in the state.
In recent times, Magani, Tunga-Bako, Ukuru, Yakila, Kagara, Adagbi village in Galkogo district, Dukku all in Rijau, Rafi, Mariga and Shiroro Local Government had been attacked.
Shiroro Local Government area of the state seems to be the most affected as hundreds of lives have been lost, property and farmlands have been destroyed, thousands of cattle rustled while scores of people were kidnapped.
Many residents, security agents as well as members of the vigilante group have been killed during the attacks.
The attacks seem to have taken a new dimension as bandits were said to now engage in destroying farmlands and houses by setting them ablaze wherever the people escape.
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