Despite peace deals, banditry thrives
State governments in the North-west and Niger State in the North-central in efforts to check banditry, have signed peace deals with bandits, but these deals have often collapsed due to the inability of the bandits to maintain their side of the bargain. The deals had in some cases generated mixed reactions from citizens. While some welcomed it as great achievements, others have reservations on them, especially as they are often violated, leading to further mayhem on the people.
The first deal in Sokoto State was struck at Isa Local Government Area in 2016 with the current Commissioner for Career and Security Matters, retired Colonel Garba Moyi, who was the chairman of the local government at the time. However, the deal was short-lived, necessitating the second meeting in 2019 which also collapsed, according to our findings, as a result of the failure of the bandits to abide by the terms and conditions.
An insider to all the deals told Daily Trust Saturday that the bandits had two major camps in the eastern part of the state, the Halilu and Turji camps, both involved in the meetings.
“The Halilu camp is more responsive as they surrendered over 100 weapons after the deals and since the deal was struck, his boys ceased fire until lately but the Turji camp has been breaching the deals, even on surrendering of weapons as they only surrendered eight weapons.
“So, the bandits failed everybody, they failed to comply with terms of the last meetings,” he said.
On why they thought the current peace deal would succeed, he said: “With the level of commitment we saw in them and the fact that they were under pressure, this will succeed.
“We have the bargaining power because they were forced into submission by the air strikes by the Nigerian Air Force, and we will not allow this opportunity to slip out of our hands.
“All they wanted was stoppage of the air bombardment and they promised to stop attacking, kidnapping and rustling animals. In fact, they have returned almost all the rustled animals and since our meetings commenced, there were no reports of killings or kidnappings in the area,” he added.
What triggered the new peace deal
Our correspondent gathered that after the failure of the previous deal, there was carnage resulting in the loss of over 100 lives in Gangara, Gidan Bature, Garki, Masama, Dan aduwa and other areas.
Thereafter, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal sought to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, which was obliged and after that, several measures were taken by the federal government including the deployment of the air force, army and police to end banditry in the state.
It was further gathered that the security fire power became so intense that the bandits started calling for a fresh peace deal with the state government.
“Their leader contacted me and I informed the governor about it and the matter was tabled during the state security council meeting and subsequently, a decision was taken to sit with them and hear what they had to say,” said a source who requested not to be named.
“Based on that, a committee was set up involving all the security agencies and the government. We then set a date with them at Isa and we met with their representatives.
“The Commissioner, Career and Security Matters led the team and we went and sat with them in Isa and had a fruitful discussion.
“They made several requests; one was the stoppage of the air bombardment; that we should stop arresting and harassing Fulanis in the state; that they should be allowed to go to the village market and move freely within the state.
“And from the government’s side, we asked them to release anybody in captivity immediately, all rustled animals must be released and no more attacking or kidnapping within the state.
“We also asked them not to enter market or village with any weapon or incriminating item, should they do that they would be arrested. With that we sealed the agreement. All the security agencies and representatives of the bandits signed the deal while the commissioner signed it on behalf of the state government,” he said.
In honouring that agreement, they set eight people free, three from Isa, two from Sabon Birni, and three from Wurno local government areas.
“Then they brought back rustled livestock to the various local government headquarters for owners to come and identify and carry them. On our side, we suspended the air strikes, and allowed them to patronize the markets and visit their relatives.”
He added that another meeting was summoned, involving all the sole administrators of the affected local government areas, district heads and religious leaders as well as Ardos (Fulanis leaders), security agencies and representatives of the bandits.
At the meeting, representatives of the bandits were directed to inform their leaders to set a date for the next meeting which they must be physically present.
How banditry started in Sokoto
Sokoto was not hard hit until the crisis in Zamfara got out of hand. The bandits started moving towards Sokoto which they considered safe to take cover and operate from.
It was said that when they came, they started fighting farmers and vigilante groups and at a point, security agents.
When they knew that they could not win the war, they started attacking villages and markets.
Speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, the Commissioner, Career and Security Matters, retired Colonel Garba Moyi, said the bandits were expected to fix a date for the submission of all their weapons.
“We want the deal to be total because without peace all the things we promised them like the dam, grazing reserves and cattle routes will not happen.
“We want them to tell us when they will submit all their weapons and we will tell them when they will receive their palliatives but money was not part of the agreement.
“We believe that a peaceful resolution of the crisis is the best way to get rid of it. Even the world wars ended on negotiating tables because no peace is achieved with the barrel of the gun,” he said.
Moyi said despite the efforts, there were some areas still experiencing banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery in the state. They areas, he said, include Binji, Silame, Tangaza, Gudu, Illela and Gwadabawa which are linked to a forest.
He said the bandits in those areas broke away from the peace deal but the army had set up a formidable force to clear the forest.
“In the next few days, the clearance would be over because they have cleared many places and are now in Gudu. And once that is done, we are finally done with the axis.
“There were also reports of some skirmishes around Kuchi, Fakko and Sange in Kebbi local government areas which we believe is an infiltration from Kebbi and Zamfara states by bandits,” he said.
The spokesmen of the 8th Division, Nigerian Army and the Sokoto State Police Command declined comments on the peace deal.
In Zamfara, no regrets entering peace with bandits
Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has been making desperate efforts to check banditry.
He said in Gusau while commiserating with families of victims in Unguwar Rogo, Karda, Bidda and Kajera of Tsafe Local Government Area as well as Kabaje of Kaura-Namoda LGA that he had been working round the clock, having sleepless nights, holding meetings with the security chieftains and other stakeholders.
He said: “We have assurances from the leaders of Fulani groups who have embraced our peace overtures that they will reach out to the recalcitrant groups responsible for the attacks and persuade them to accept our peace pact.
“While we are committed to our dialogue and reconciliation initiative, we will spare no effort in enforcing the security of lives and property of our people.”
Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto), Shehu Umar (Gusau), Tijjani Ibrahim (Katsina) & Romoke Ahmad (Minna)
The first deal in Sokoto State was struck at Isa Local Government Area in 2016 with the current Commissioner for Career and Security Matters, retired Colonel Garba Moyi, who was the chairman of the local government at the time. However, the deal was short-lived, necessitating the second meeting in 2019 which also collapsed, according to our findings, as a result of the failure of the bandits to abide by the terms and conditions.
An insider to all the deals told Daily Trust Saturday that the bandits had two major camps in the eastern part of the state, the Halilu and Turji camps, both involved in the meetings.
“The Halilu camp is more responsive as they surrendered over 100 weapons after the deals and since the deal was struck, his boys ceased fire until lately but the Turji camp has been breaching the deals, even on surrendering of weapons as they only surrendered eight weapons.
“So, the bandits failed everybody, they failed to comply with terms of the last meetings,” he said.
On why they thought the current peace deal would succeed, he said: “With the level of commitment we saw in them and the fact that they were under pressure, this will succeed.
“We have the bargaining power because they were forced into submission by the air strikes by the Nigerian Air Force, and we will not allow this opportunity to slip out of our hands.
“All they wanted was stoppage of the air bombardment and they promised to stop attacking, kidnapping and rustling animals. In fact, they have returned almost all the rustled animals and since our meetings commenced, there were no reports of killings or kidnappings in the area,” he added.
What triggered the new peace deal
Our correspondent gathered that after the failure of the previous deal, there was carnage resulting in the loss of over 100 lives in Gangara, Gidan Bature, Garki, Masama, Dan aduwa and other areas.
Thereafter, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal sought to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, which was obliged and after that, several measures were taken by the federal government including the deployment of the air force, army and police to end banditry in the state.
It was further gathered that the security fire power became so intense that the bandits started calling for a fresh peace deal with the state government.
“Their leader contacted me and I informed the governor about it and the matter was tabled during the state security council meeting and subsequently, a decision was taken to sit with them and hear what they had to say,” said a source who requested not to be named.
“Based on that, a committee was set up involving all the security agencies and the government. We then set a date with them at Isa and we met with their representatives.
“The Commissioner, Career and Security Matters led the team and we went and sat with them in Isa and had a fruitful discussion.
“They made several requests; one was the stoppage of the air bombardment; that we should stop arresting and harassing Fulanis in the state; that they should be allowed to go to the village market and move freely within the state.
“And from the government’s side, we asked them to release anybody in captivity immediately, all rustled animals must be released and no more attacking or kidnapping within the state.
“We also asked them not to enter market or village with any weapon or incriminating item, should they do that they would be arrested. With that we sealed the agreement. All the security agencies and representatives of the bandits signed the deal while the commissioner signed it on behalf of the state government,” he said.
In honouring that agreement, they set eight people free, three from Isa, two from Sabon Birni, and three from Wurno local government areas.
“Then they brought back rustled livestock to the various local government headquarters for owners to come and identify and carry them. On our side, we suspended the air strikes, and allowed them to patronize the markets and visit their relatives.”
He added that another meeting was summoned, involving all the sole administrators of the affected local government areas, district heads and religious leaders as well as Ardos (Fulanis leaders), security agencies and representatives of the bandits.
At the meeting, representatives of the bandits were directed to inform their leaders to set a date for the next meeting which they must be physically present.
How banditry started in Sokoto
Sokoto was not hard hit until the crisis in Zamfara got out of hand. The bandits started moving towards Sokoto which they considered safe to take cover and operate from.
It was said that when they came, they started fighting farmers and vigilante groups and at a point, security agents.
When they knew that they could not win the war, they started attacking villages and markets.
Speaking to Daily Trust Saturday, the Commissioner, Career and Security Matters, retired Colonel Garba Moyi, said the bandits were expected to fix a date for the submission of all their weapons.
“We want the deal to be total because without peace all the things we promised them like the dam, grazing reserves and cattle routes will not happen.
“We want them to tell us when they will submit all their weapons and we will tell them when they will receive their palliatives but money was not part of the agreement.
“We believe that a peaceful resolution of the crisis is the best way to get rid of it. Even the world wars ended on negotiating tables because no peace is achieved with the barrel of the gun,” he said.
Moyi said despite the efforts, there were some areas still experiencing banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery in the state. They areas, he said, include Binji, Silame, Tangaza, Gudu, Illela and Gwadabawa which are linked to a forest.
He said the bandits in those areas broke away from the peace deal but the army had set up a formidable force to clear the forest.
“In the next few days, the clearance would be over because they have cleared many places and are now in Gudu. And once that is done, we are finally done with the axis.
“There were also reports of some skirmishes around Kuchi, Fakko and Sange in Kebbi local government areas which we believe is an infiltration from Kebbi and Zamfara states by bandits,” he said.
The spokesmen of the 8th Division, Nigerian Army and the Sokoto State Police Command declined comments on the peace deal.
In Zamfara, no regrets entering peace with bandits
Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has been making desperate efforts to check banditry.
He said in Gusau while commiserating with families of victims in Unguwar Rogo, Karda, Bidda and Kajera of Tsafe Local Government Area as well as Kabaje of Kaura-Namoda LGA that he had been working round the clock, having sleepless nights, holding meetings with the security chieftains and other stakeholders.
He said: “We have assurances from the leaders of Fulani groups who have embraced our peace overtures that they will reach out to the recalcitrant groups responsible for the attacks and persuade them to accept our peace pact.
“While we are committed to our dialogue and reconciliation initiative, we will spare no effort in enforcing the security of lives and property of our people.”
The governor added that his government would continue to honour agreements reached with the bandits but would confront those who violate the agreement with the full force of the law.
Matawalle said negotiating with bandits was the best option for lasting peace, adding that he had no regrets choosing the option.
He spoke against the backdrop of opinions against the efficacy of the peace approach.
“We applied the peace accord as a means of honest solution to the problem in Zamfara State which has yielded tremendous result never expected in the last one year,” the governor said, noting however that even amidst the heavy presence of the military and relentless offensives against the bandits, wanton killings and maiming still increased in frightening proportion.
He however said the government’s honesty and focus in the deal resulted in some reduction in attacks which allowed roads, markets, schools and farms to be re-opened, just as nearly 1000 people were released by ex-bandits and thousands of dangerous weapons were surrendered.
Why Zamfara entered peace deal
In June 2019, a landmark deal in the Zamfara peace process was struck between the local vigilante groups known as Yan Sakai and top notchers of armed bandits in the state. The peace deal was initiated by Governor Bello Muhammad Mutawalle shortly after he took oath of office.
There had been series of meetings and peace conferences involving the state commissioner of police, other heads of security agencies and numerous stakeholders in the process.
Armed bandits’ commanders in different camps across the state sent in their representatives to the peace meetings. Their attendance had boosted the morale of the negotiators that the armed men would help restore peace to the state.
Fulani leaders including the national president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammadu Kiruwa, the leaders of the Yan Sakai and many other stakeholders attended the conferences.
Shortly after the deal, peace began to return to rural communities in the state. The deadly attacks ceased and farmers returned to their farms.
Activities in the rural markets in the state had begun to pick up. Markets in Dangulbi, Dansadau, Yar tasha, Kasuwar Daji, Dauran, Mada and many more recorded tremendous increase in trading activities.
Checks by Daily Trust Saturday showed that bandits had begun attending local marketplaces without being arrested and summarily executed or intimidated by the local vigilante groups otherwise known as Yan Sakai.
This, Daily Trust Saturday learnt, bolstered the confidence of the armed men in accepting the deal and helping to work out modalities that would ensure the restoration of peace and tranquility to the state.
One of the cardinal demands by the armed bandits before they could agree to halt deadly attacks on rural communities is that the Yan Sakai should halt further extra judicial execution of people, largely of Fulani extraction, in market places.
The blockade put on local markets against the Fulani, Daily Trust learnt, had seriously put the armed men in dilemma and they became very disturbed.
However almost a year after the peace deal, an altercation between herders and farmers caused a stir in some communities in Gwalli district in Gummi area of the state,
Reports said some herders believed to have migrated from either Shinkafi or Birnin Magaji local government areas of the state during the administration of former governor Abdulaziz Yari decided to settle at an area west of Gwalli community in Gummi Local Government Area of the state.
“The Abdulaziz Yari-led