The sustained aerial bombardments by the Nigeria Airforce (NAF) on bandits locations and hideouts in the Nortbwestwern states of Katsina, and Zamfara, have forced notorious bandit kingpins, to request for dialogue and amnesty from the government, PRNigeria has reported.
According to intelligence sources, the bandit kingpins have sent delegations to a meeting held at Gusami village in Birnin Magaji local government area of Zamfara.
Present at the meeting were some of the kingpins and their representatives, including Usman Ruga Kachallah, Alaji Shingi, Lauwali Dumbulu, Shehu Bagiwaye, Sehu Karmuwal and Jarmi Danda.
“They met towards uniting their forces and opt for peace with the government after suffering major casualties from military attacks. They promised to surrender their weapons for a peace deal.
“They also expressed their regret that while they are ready to embrace peace with the new administrations in their respective states, their morale has been dampened by the continuous attacks from the Nigerian Airforce that targeted their homes, families, animals and storages,” the source said.
Report says that in the latest meeting, the bandit leaders agreed to key into peace initiatives by surrendering parts of their weapons to the government forces while they bury some pending when all the kingpins in other locations would also do so.
According to our source, the bandit leaders insisted that they had to keep some of their weapons for fear that other bandit leaders in parts of Zamfara, Sokoto and border areas with Niger Republic might come and attack them afterwards.
They also requested that officials of recognised and registered Fulani groups, like Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) can be involved in brokering the peace process and the amnesty programme.
Recall that the Nigerian military airstrikes recently eliminated scores of footsoldiers of the notorious bandit kingpin, Dankarami.
Another separate military air interdiction also targetted the enclave of Ado Aliero, also a terrorist kingpin in Zamfara, near Asola Mountain in Tsafe local government, killing over a dozen armed bandits.
The Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji have recently been heightened in the North West, as part of riding the region of terrorists and their activities.
Some of the recent air strikes were conducted in various locations in Zurmi, Tsafe, Faskari and Jibia Local Government Areas (LGA) in Zamfara and Katsina states.
PRNigeria
