The Zamfara State government in an attempt to quell banditry in the state has initiated a cows-for-guns swap policy. The policy is another amnesty initiative for repentant bandits in the state. The state government first announced the initiative in July, last year, to encourage bandits terrorising rural areas to lay down their arms. The state’s governor, Bello Matawalle said some criminals who willingly submitted their guns have been resettled in Gusau, the state capital.
Daily Trust reports that this is not the first time the government would initiate an amnesty policy for bandits in the state. However, since the initiation of the guns-for-cows deal, dozens of armed men have submitted their weapons and embraced peace.
- What bandits commanders told me in Zamfara forests Sheikh Gumi
- Top bandits commander, Buharin Daji, to lay down arms soon Matawalle
The governor, a few days ago, said he would never give cash in exchange for guns, noting that it would set a very bad precedent for issues that have to do with armed conflicts in the state. He however said the peace dialogue had yielded positive results as many of the armed criminals have submitted their weapons.
The governor spoke when he received the delegation of the Kaduna-based cleric, Sheik Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, who was in the state to negotiate a peace deal with bandits.
He said a peace dialogue remains the only option to return peace to the state, but warned recalcitrant bandits to embrace peace or face the wrath of security operatives, adding that they would be defeated.
“The security operatives will work hand in hand with the repentant bandits to pursue those that refuse to accept the peace and reconciliation offer, or at least convince them to cease hostilities for the overall development of the state,” he added.
He said negotiation had been concluded with the son of the slain bandits’ leader, Buharin Daji, his mother and a top leader of the bandits, who would soon surrender arms.
Matawalle said the decision of the leader of the bandits to lay down his arms would be a turning point in the quest to bring back peace to the state, adding that he doesn’t regret having a dialogue with the armed men in the state.
“If I wasn’t courageous, I would have abandoned the peace deal with armed men because of the pressure being mounted on me by those who think there should not be such initiatives.”
“I’m being blackmailed from different quarters for having a dialogue with the armed bandits. Some said I’m with them, others said I harbour them. We have seen the positive impacts of this deal. Rural markets are now picking up.
“We have rescued dozens of kidnapped victims without firing a single shot. If we know that force can stop the attacks, we won’t bother having a dialogue with the armed men. We will continue to do what we feel is good for our people irrespective of what people would say,” Matawalle said.
First failed peace deal
In 2016, authorities had engaged the slain bandits’ leader Buhari Tsoho, otherwise known as Buharin Daji in peace talks. Buharin Daji agreed to cease hostilities, but resumed attacks on communities shortly afterward.
He was later killed by an armed bandit called Dogo Gide in a gang violence in a forest near Madada, a village located 15 kilometres east of Dansadau town.
About three years ago, police had arrested one of Buharin Daji’s sons identified as Zakowa after security operatives repelled attacks on Chali and Gobirawa communities.
Last week, six repentant armed bandits from Kaduna, Niger and Yobe states surrendered 14 AK 47 rifles and live ammunition, then swore with the holy Qur’an that they had renounced armed banditry in the state.
The repentant bandits submitted the rifles in the presence of Governor Matawalle, the state commissioner of police, Mr Abutu Yaro, Emir of Gusau Alhaji Ibrahim Bello and other heads of security formations in the state.
The state commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran, had said about 107 rifles and several other categories of ammunition had been surrendered by the repentant bandits since July 2019, adding that more weapons are being submitted by the repentant bandits.
Each of the repentant bandits held a copy of the Holy Qur’an and swore that they had forever stopped armed banditry, kidnapping, and other crimes. The oath was administered by Malam Abubakar Fari, who is the chairman Zamfara State Council of Ulamas.
Governor Bello Matawalle said there is another group engaged by the state commissioner of police, who had indicated willingness to embrace peace.
Experts express worry over peace deal
A security expert, Abubakar Sanusi, said such a move has an undertone, adding that it could not work because they don’t have genuine reasons for indulging in criminalities.
He said, “These people have no genuine reasons for perpetrating these crimes. They are the core-criminals. I actually pity these governors. It is only the federal government that is supposed to stop all these negotiations.
“We are just buying time with these negotiations because those guys are used to millions of naira. They will still go back to these criminalities. The only solution is to tackle the sponsors of these criminals, weaken them and genuinely destroy them.”
Also, the Executive Director Fulani Initiative for the Protection of Environment and Less Privileged, Mr Bachiri S. Fulani, said for the cows-for-guns policy to succeed, there must be a comprehensive action plan and robust community mobilization and engagement.
“The issue is that this programme requires a lot of resources. I learnt the governor had complained of lack of wherewithal to prosecute this plan. Then, he should seek an intervention from the federal government and other donor agencies.
“There must be comprehensive data of those that own guns and where they are. They should be deradicalized for some months and then given cows in exchange for guns. It is a good step, but it should be carefully planned,” he said.
Mr Bachiri said it is a programme that can’t be handled by the state government alone and all hands must be on deck to ensure that the policy succeeds.
ALGON supports peace deal, calls for massive prayers
Meanwhile, the Zamfara chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) said it is embarking on intense prayers to end banditry in the state, the North West and other parts of the country.
Alhaji Muhammad Umar, Chairman of the association in the state, made the disclosure to newsmen in Gusau on Saturday, at the end of the association’s meeting on security.
“We are unanimous in supporting the steps taken by our governor in addressing the issues of armed banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other heinous crimes that had brought our state to a standstill in the past.
“This was particularly achieved following the peace and dialogue initiated by his excellency which led to the unconditional surrender of a large cache of arms and ammunition by repentant bandits.
“The bandits have also supported the government and security agents in either bringing new repentants or identifying recalcitrant ones so that they will be brought to book,” he said.
Umar pointed out that the association has been supporting the Gov. Matawalle’s initiative and would not relent until lasting peace is fully achieved in all parts of the state.
“At the moment, we have also concluded arrangements to mobilise religious leaders that will meet the remaining bandits in the bushes so that they can talk spiritual sense into them with a view to having all of them abandon their bad ways.”
“This is more imperative now that the state government is willing to rehabilitate and support them into being good citizens,” he said.
The ALGON chairman enjoined well-meaning citizens of the state to always pray for an end to the security challenges facing the state and the nation in general.
Why ex-governor Yari’s peace deal with bandits crumbled
However, former governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar had in 2016 engaged the armed bandits in peace talks. The peace deal nevertheless crumbled a year after it was negotiated.
The armed bandits and the state authorities at the time had traded blame on why the peace pact did not see the light of the day. The state government had blamed the bandits for failure to keep to their promises, while the armed men said the state government and security operatives failed to honour their agreement on arbitrary arrest of their kinsmen and colleagues.
For instance, the slain bandits’ leader Buharin Daji had complained about the arrest of his son and two of his close associates called Kankara and Damina by the security operatives.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
