Zamfara vigilante: When the hunter becomes the hunted
Members of vigilante groups in Zamfara State, popularly known as have been accused of extrajudicial killings. But they said that instead of engaging in extrajudicial killings, their members had variously put their lives on the line to save their communiti
Members of the outlawed local vigilante groups in Zamfara State have become the major targets of armed bandits in rural communities. Ali Gwaska, leader of the local vigilante group at Kuru-Kuru-Jarkuka axis in Anka Local Government Area of the state said, “We are putting our lives on the line to protect our communities, yet we are being branded criminals. All forms of ills are associated with us. Despite this, we won’t relent in our efforts at warding off hoodlums from our villages.’’
He said there was the need to defend their people against armed bandits and cattle rustlers who had terrorised them for many years.
“Every day we are being hunted by armed bandits. We have become their main targets. Whenever they strike in a community, they will first identify vigilante members to kill. Sometimes they identify our houses before they even raid the communities,’’ he said.
Another vigilante member from Farin Ruwa village in Bungudu Local Government Area said that but for their intervention, rural communities in Zamfara State would have been overrun by armed bandits.
Asked about the allegation of extrajudicial killings levelled against them, Isah Takama said they identified and killed criminals because they lost confidence in the way security operatives and the judiciary handled the issues of armed banditry, especially cattle rustling.
“We have lost many of our brothers to the bandits, and we are still counting. How do you expect us to fold our arms and watch our enemies eliminate us like rats? We have recorded heavy casualties. Unfortunately, we don’t have better weapons to fight them, except dane guns. They fight us using rifles. Our communities appreciate what we are doing. While they see us as heroes, authorities tag us as criminals. We have no regret over what we are doing,’’ he said.
Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the government of Zamfara State outlawed Yan Sakai following allegations of extrajudicial killings against them. They were also accused of taking possession of rustled cows and secretly sharing them among themselves. The authorities vowed to arrest and deal with anyone found operating as a member of vigilante groups in the state.
A senior official of the government who did not want his name mentioned said that despite being hailed in some quarters, some residents see members of Yan Sakai as the people fanning the embers of crisis in the state through unlawful executions.
“The local vigilante volunteers are carrying out armed robberies and unlawful executions in various communities of this state. They are fond of disrespecting local authorities and invading local markets in the name of fishing out suspected criminals, who they kill instantly. Nobody has the right to take lives unlawfully, including the police,’’ he said.
He said anyone caught engaging in such dastardly acts would be made to face the full wrath of the law, adding that their sponsors would not escape justice.
“We are not against community policing, but any group, be it vigilante or whatever, must operate within the ambit of the law. They must seek for the consent of emirs, local chiefs and the police. The so-called Yan Sakai are guilty of many atrocities; hence they must discontinue their operations,’’ he said.
In the same vein, some residents expressed reservations on the activities of the local Daily Trust on Sunday vigilante volunteer groups.
A resident, Kabir Ilyasu, said some of the horrific assaults on rural communities in the state were provoked by the vigilantes. They arrest and summarily kill suspects.
“What provoked last week’s attack on Fankashi village was that some residents of the community earlier intercepted and unlawfully executed two suspected armed bandits,’’ he explained.
He said that some days later, members of vigilante groups gathered in a forest near Fankashi, a village located 20km north of Dansadau town to hold a meeting on how to deal with the threat by armed bandits in the area.
“When the armed bandits learnt that members of the vigilante group were holding a meeting in the forest, they stormed the area on motorbikes, firing at everyone at sight,’’ he added.
Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, Senator Sa’idu Dansadau, a former acting chairman of the group in Maru Local Government Area, kicked against the ban on vigilante groups in the state.
“By the virtue of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the same constitution has also granted power to the National Assembly to enact laws to ensure good governance in this country. This include acts that would give room for the registrations of non-governmental organisations and all kinds of associations aimed at ensuring peace, tranquility and harmonious coexistence among various ethnic groups in this country, as well as organisations that are interested in the socio-economic development of their communities.
Dansadau said the Nigerian Vigilante Group, where he is a bonafide member, was registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission; therefore, it is a legitimate organisation which activities are recognised by law.
“No governor has the power, by executive fiat, to simply say he has banned the activities of Yan Sakai as we are called in Hausa language.
“Apart from the law I cited, the 1999 Constitution has provided freedom of association. So Nigerians, wherever they are, have the right to form themselves into groups, as long as their aim is to ensure peace and harmonious coexistence and socio-economic development of their communities. And that ‘Yan Sakai, is exactly what the vigilante group in Zamfara State is doing.
“Apart from that, under the 1999 Constitution, it is the primary responsibility of security agents to protect the lives and property of the citizens. It is obvious and there is no gainsaying that in Zamfara State, government and agencies responsible for protecting the lives and property of the people have failed in their responsibility.
“It is on this note that a section of the native inhabitants of Zamfara State decided to form themselves as vigilantes in order to fill the gap created by government’s failure to protect them,’’ he further said.
He said members of Yan Sakai only embarked on a self-help project to protect themselves, their neighbours and brothers and sisters so that citizens of the state could go about their normal businesses.
“We all know that without this effort by members of vigilante groups, farming would have been impossible. I thought the state government would commend the efforts of these people who sacrificed their lives, time and energy in order to protect the lives and property of their brothers and sisters,’’ he added.