Zamfara Under Siege: Bandits Kidnap Elders on Failed Peace Mission

At least 39 elderly residents from Magamin Diddi village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State remain in captivity following the failure of a reconciliation meeting with a notorious bandit leader identified as Jammo. These victims were part of a 50-member committee from the community who reportedly travelled to meet Jammo, a bandit kingpin operating from the Muntsira Forest area, also known as Dajin Natsira forest, within the local government area.

The chairperson of Maradun Local Government, Bello Dosara, confirmed the incident, stating that the community members organized the meeting without the approval of the state government. Mr. Dosara emphasized that Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration does not support reconciliation efforts with armed groups and was unaware of the community’s plans. He was quoted as saying, “We are against reconciliation with the bandits and Governor Dauda Lawal never supported that, but unknown to us the people chose to go on with it.”

According to Mr. Dosara, Jammo had previously restricted residents’ access to local markets, prompting the council to provide weekly security escorts for villagers. He expressed surprise that community members chose to engage directly with the bandit leader despite these security arrangements. Mr. Dosara also confirmed that 11 members of the delegation were later released by Jammo to brief the community on the incident, while the remaining 39 continue to be held hostage.

Bello Husseini, the councillor representing Magami/Faru Ward, provided further context, linking the incident to recent clashes between Jammo's group and Zamfara’s community security outfit, popularly known as Askarawa. Mr. Husseini revealed that security operatives had earlier killed two of Jammo’s lieutenants and recovered their weapons. In a retaliatory attack during the Ramadan period, the bandits killed two members of the vigilante group and seized their rifles.

The councillor explained that Jammo had later sought reconciliation after one of his associates was killed during a military operation in Kandare village. This led the community to constitute the 50-member committee to meet him, despite the state government's clear stance against negotiations with bandits. Mr. Husseini alleged that Jammo betrayed the delegation upon their arrival, taking them hostage and releasing only 11. He further claimed that Jammo is demanding N24 million in exchange for the three rifles earlier recovered from his group, asserting, “We are against any form of reconciliation because they are not trustworthy.”

Both the council chairman and the ward councillor have urged security agencies to intensify operations in Dajin Natsira forest, describing it as a major stronghold for armed groups in the area. They argued that sustained military action in the forest could significantly improve security across several local government areas, including Talata Mafara, Bakura, Anka, Gummi, Bukkuyum, Maru, and Bungudu. The officials also appealed to Governor Lawal and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to support efforts to restore security in the affected communities. Mr. Husseini characterized Jammo as the overall ruler of the Dajin Natsira axis, an area comprising several settlements such as Bayan Ruwa, Kwargwaro, Aljumma Fulani, Gidan Dawa, and Kyetare.