Banditry and insecurity from neighbouring Zamfara State spilled over to parts of Kebbi State early this year and the state government is working hard to reign in a group of local Yan Sakai (vigilante) who are accused of perpetrating the killing of ethnic Fulani persons, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu said on Saturday.
He spoke to Daily Trust on telephone in response to allegations by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.
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(MACBAN), which said last Thursday that 68 ethnic Fulani people, including a one-year-old child, were killed by the Yan Sakai, who are ethnic Dakarkari, between April 29 and August 11, this year.
The governor regretted that the peace enjoyed in his state despite insecurity all around was now being threatened by an overzealous group that is creating inter-ethnic conflict.
MACBAN’s statement, signed by its National Secretary Baba Uthman Ngelzarma, said the killings were in four local governments of Zuru Emirate of Kebbi State namely Zuru, Sakaba, Fakai and Dango/Wasagu.
MACBAN said eight Fulani men were killed in broad daylight on the premises of the Technical College, Zuru.
Sixty more were killed in Danko, Maga, Ribah, Joli, Kadurga, Marafa, Kanya, Unashi and Ayyu, including Alhaji Kiruwa, a shop owner at Danko market who was killed for no just cause on April 11, this year.
It said no one has been brought to book for the killings.
Speaking yesterday, Governor Bagudu did not deny that there were killings, but that the killings spilled over from the insecurity in Zamfara State, which shares common borders with that part of his state.
He said the people of Dabai District in Zuru Emirate are very industrious farmers but because of land shortage in the area, many crossed over to adjoining local governments of Zamfara State to farm.
They were however affected by cattle rustling, banditry and kidnapping and were forced back home.
In turn, the governor said, they organized vigilante groups that are blamed for the recent killings.
He said he had detailed his deputy, Col. Samaila Yombe Dabai, to spearhead efforts to find a lasting solution to the crisis before it gets out of hand.
The Special Adviser on Security to Bagudu, Alhaji Garba Rabi’u Kamba, also spoke to Daily Trust and provided more details about the incidents.
He said some farmers from mountainous areas of Zuru Emirate who migrated to Anka, Bukkuyum, Gummi, and Dansadau local governments of Zamfara to farm were killed by bandits.
These men, who were ethnic Dakarkari, moved back into Zuru Emirate, blamed the Fulani for killing their folks and formed a group called Zaman Lafiya Dole.
Even though it claimed to be acting in self defence, Kamba said the group soon began to commit atrocities by mounting illegal road blocks, profiling and killing some people, carrying local dane guns called wagila into markets and moving around on dozens of motorbikes, just like the bandits.
He said the group also supplanted local authorities and assumed judicial functions in matters such as land, marriage and inheritance.
Kamba however disputed Miyetti Allah’s figure that 68 ethnic Fulani persons were killed. He said only 32 people were killed since February, 11 in Zuru, 7 in Danko/Wasagu, 4 in Fakai and 10 in Sakaba.
He however said the team formed by Governor Bagudu led by the deputy governor sat down with the Emir of Zuru and the chiefs of five chiefdoms in the emirate.
They were able, through the traditional rulers, to identify the leaders of the Yan Sakai group. Though the vigilantes are allowed to operate because they serve some useful purposes, they have agreed to come under the supervision of traditional rulers and security agents, he said.
According to the Special Adviser, there was a faction among the Yan Sakai which did not listen to traditional rulers but that the leaders of the loyal group led by one John Mani Rumu, had managed to bring them under control.
The rebel group recently dragged a Fulani leader out of his car and killed him, he said.
He said the state government had already reported the matters to the National Security Adviser, retired Major General Mohammed Monguno.
“If the Yan Sakai group does not stop their illegal actions,” he said, “the security team will recommend to the governor to ban them.” Enforcing the ban would however require reinforcing the police with military formations, he added.
Reacting, the head of the vigilante group John Mani Rumu, debunked the allegation of killing of Fulanis by the group.
He said yesterday that any killing by the group must have been carried out in the process of fighting bandits, armed robbers and cattle rustlers.
He argued that the Yan Sakai only engaged bandits and other criminals in brutal confrontations which always ended up in the annihilation of the criminals, as the group never spares them.
“For anybody to claim that people of his own ethnic group were killed by Yan Sakai is like such a person is making a confessional statement that his people are criminals. We only engage criminals irrespective of the ethnic background,” he said.
Also speaking on the security situation in Fakai Local Government Council, the chairman of the council, Musa Rabiu Jarma, said following concerted efforts by the state government on the security situation in the council, normalcy has started returning.
According to him, since his council shares boundary with Zamfara and Sokoto states, the state government has established a military camp in Morafa village, and the measure has put started checking the excesses of the bandits.
“The state government has approved N40 million for the council. Following the financial support, it is now about two months without any incident of banditry in my council. Though, we are still confronted with Fulani, Dakarkari and Yan Sa Kai crisis,” he said.
The chairman of Danko/Wasagu, Suleman Sahabi Shimbi, told Daily Trust on Sunday that since his council shares boundaries with Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger states, the insecurity those states poses great challenge to the council.
He said with the financial empowerment from state government, the council was able to strengthen the capacity of the military, police and vigilante group, adding that apart from last week’s incident that led to the death of one Fulani man, the security situation has improved by about 80 percent.
“The banditry has reduced by about 80 percent in Danka/Wasagu Local Government Area. Our local government stands the risk of infiltration by bandits because we have boundaries with Bukuyum and Dansadau in Zamfara State.
Also speaking to our reporter, the chairman of Sakaba Local Government, Mohammed Auwal Umar, said bandits usually entered his council from Niger State and Danko/Wasagu LGA to perpetrate crime.
He said in the past, in every two weeks, his council recorded incidents of banditry but with the recent intervention of the state government normally is gradually returning.
“The incidences of banditry have reduced by about 70 percent in Sakaba LGA, we are now in our second months without an incident,” he said.
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