Why we couldn’t meet bandits as demanded by Zamfara govt – Fulani leaders

The Fulani leaders in Zamfara state have said they could not meet with the armed bandits to ascertain their grievances because they themselves were not immune from the atrocities being committed by the armed bandits and cattle rustlers in the state.

The state government had earlier met the Fulani leaders and asked them to reach out to armed bandits and cattle rustlers in the state to know what offence the rural communities committed to warrant the deadly assaults on them.

But responding to the demand by the state government during a security meeting with Emirs, the state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Bello Dankande Gamji and a local government chairman, who is also one of the Fulani leaders, Ardo Babuga said they were being attacked and killed by the cattle rustlers despite being Fulanis.

“My cows were rustled and sons killed by the armed bandits and cattle rustlers. I was chased out of my settlement; I had to seek for refuge in Tsafe town. How can I go and meet the criminals in this situation?” Ardo Babuga said.

Speaking in the same vein, the chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulaiman said they had gone round and spoke extensively to all the stakeholders adding that more time should be given to them to present their report in writing.

“We met the Emirs of Gusau, Anka, Tsafe and Dansadau and the ALGON chairman in the state, we are appealing to our Fulani brothers to enrol their children in schools; government should also come in and assist in this direction. Most of the perpetrators of the heinous acts have no sound education,” he added.

Earlier, the state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Bello Dankande Gamji said the state government would recruit 1,700 more able bodied CJTF members, who also have extra ordinary fighting skills to assist security operatives in flushing out the bandits from the forests.