Don’t negotiate with bandits, victims tell Sokoto govt

Some victims of banditry in Sokoto State have cautioned against further negotiations with bandits, who they say, are not respecters of agreements.

Caliphate Trust gathered that the state government is striking a deal with the hoodlums who have been terrorising the eastern part of the state.

Sources privy to the ongoing negotiations confided in our correspondent in the state that the peace accord was initiated at the instance of one of the leaders of the bandits.

The source said, “One of their leaders contacted a senior government official, making overtures towards possible reactivation of the peace accord which was initially initiated by the state government, because they can no longer bear the current military onslaught.”

One of the victims who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the peace deal would only compound the situation.

He said, “I am talking from experience. They will not surrender their guns. They will continue to terrorise us because they are now free to move around.

“It happened after the previous peace deals, they became like constituted authorities in remote villages, deciding what the locals should do or not.

“This is why our people are not in support of the renewed negotiation, especially now that the military is making breakthroughs in its operations in the area.”

Another victim noted that for an honest and sincere deal to be achieved, both parties must respect its terms and conditions.

He said, “The bandits must agree to surrender their weapons and to cease from involving in the affairs of the locals, while government must respect its part of the deal.”

However, the Commissioner for Career and Security Matters in the state, Col. Garba Moyi (Rtd.), insisted that, “Those opposing the ongoing peace deal have never experienced bandit attack or don’t have any of their relatives kidnapped.”

This is the third negotiation between the state government and the miscreants since the inception of the current administration.

The first negotiation took place about four years ago in Isa Local Government Area, with Col. Moyi who was then the chairman of the local government area as its arrowhead.

The second peace deal was struck in 2019 and it involved 17 gangs of bandits.