Suspected bandits from Kaduna, Niger and Yobe states, on Thursday, surrendered 14 AK-47 rifles and live ammunition and then swore with the Holy Qur’an that they have renounced armed banditry.
The six repentant bandits submitted the rifles to the authorities in the presence of Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle, the state commissioner of police, Mr Abutu Yaro; Emir of Gusau Alhaji Ibrahim Bello and other heads of security formations in the state.
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The state commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran, said 107 rifles and several other categories of assault rifles and ammunition had been surrendered by repentant bandits since July 2019, adding that more weapons were being submitted.
Each of the repentant bandits held a copy of Holy Qur’an and made to swear that he had forever stopped banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.
The oath was administered to them by Mallam Abubakar Fari, who is the chairman Zamfara state council of Ulamas.
In his address, Governor Bello Matawalle said there is another group engaged by the state commissioner of police and had indicated willingness to embrace peace.
He said the peace dialogue initiated by his administration had yielded positive results as many of the armed criminals had submitted their weapons, adding that peace dialogue remains the only option on the table in their quest to return peace to the state.
He, however, warned recalcitrant bandits to embrace peace or face the wrath of the security operatives, adding that they would be pursued to their hideouts and crushingly defeated.
“The security operatives will work hand in hand with the repentant bandits to pursue those that refused to accept the peace and reconciliation offer, or at least convince them to cease hostilities for the overall development of the state,” he added.
