Why we took to kidnaping, attacking communities – Repentant bandits

Some repentant bandits in Tsafe Local Government area of Zamfara, on Monday explained why they took up arms against the people of the area.

The ex-bandits said at a peace meeting in Tsafe that they were harassed and intimidated by the police and vigilantes, locally known as ”Yan Sakai, into becoming bandits and kidnappers.

During the meeting held at the palace of the Emir of Tsafe, Alhaji Muhammadu Bawa, one of the bandits commanders, Hassan Dantawaye, said they were unjustly treated by the government and society.

“We were forced into this, because apart from cattle rustling incidents we faced some years back, we also faced serious harrassment and intimidation from security personnel and ”Yansakai.

“We cannot go to markets, our children cannot go to school, whenever they see our children or wives in town they killed them.

“If security personnel arrest us, we have to spend alot of money before we are released, sometimes security agencies launch attacks on our homes and kill us without any offence.

“With this ugly trend, we have no option than to embark on kidnapping, attacks and others crimes”, Dantawaye said.

Alhaji Madele, a fulani leader, however, thanked the state government for the dialogue and urged the security agencies to protect them from ”Yansakai and some security personnel who attack them unjustly in markets and towns.