Zamfara State’s security issue is about to recur after state governor Dauda Lawal met with bandit leaders in secret. This tactic has been deemed dangerously ineffectual by analysts, who believe it could allow the terrorists to regroup and intensify attacks on Nigerians. The bandit commanders were reportedly hosted by Governor Lawal on Sunday at Command Guest in Gusau, the state capital.
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According to a source with knowledge of the meeting, the bandits who met the governor were Wadalle, Ardo Nashawari, Na’eka, and others. They were led by Alhaji Tukur, Meyyeti Allah, the state chairman, and a few Fulani people from the state. “The meeting was held under the guise of reconciliation and was at the behest of and under the instructions of the government of Zamfara State,” the source, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the security matter, stated.
According to the report, “members of the Zamfara State Community Protection Guards in military uniform escorted some of the bandits to the meeting venue.” A few weeks ago, Alhaji Ahmed Bakare, a security analyst in Zamfara State, stated that the region’s security issues “involves some powerful individuals in Nigeria,” citing reports of “some powerful individuals in Zamfara State, who are using their mining sites to influence the bandits ravaging the entire state.”
“These bandits are playing games with the governor because every time the military or federal authorities go after them, they come up with the gimmick of negotiating amnesty or ceasefire only to disappear with the funds made from the supposed peace initiative and use it to re-arm themselves,” said another analyst who does not want to be identified.
“A careful examination will demonstrate that the governor’s strategy is flawed and that he only shows concern when the bandits appear to be endangering his gold mining enterprise,” he stated. Residents of the state are said to be feeling more depressed as a result of the governor’s meeting with the robbers.
“The residents believe that every time such meetings are held, more people are killed and property is destroyed, and from all indications, people no longer have confidence that the governor can bring about lasting peace because the bandits have reportedly shown that they are part of his government,” the security expert said.
“The fact that the bandits met with the governor and were allowed to return to the forests without facing any repercussions is unacceptable to the public,” he disclosed. “In the past, bandits have even been granted chieftaincy titles, which were followed by additional killings of innocent citizens.”
