Fifty elderly residents of Magamin Diddi village in Magami/Faru ward of Maradun Local Government Area have been abducted while on a reconciliation mission in the area.
The abduction was reportedly carried out by Jammo, a bandit leader said to control the Muntsira Forest in Maradun LGA of Zamfara State.
The chairman of Maradun Local Government, Hon. Bello Dosara, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, but explained that the group proceeded to meet the bandit leader without official approval.
“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,” Dosara said.
He added that the bandit leader had previously restricted access to the village market, although he said security escorts were consistently provided for weekly market movements.
“I wonder why, how they go and meet their rivals, they block access to the market and I support them with security every week,” Dosara expressed his concerns.
Dosara further confirmed that 11 of the abducted persons have been released, while 39 remain in captivity.
“He released some to just brief the people on the unfortunate incident,” he added.
The Councilor representing Magami/Faru ward, Bello Husseini, also noted that Jammo had earlier clashed with the Zamfara State security outfit known as ‘Askarawa’, during which two of his associates were killed and their rifles taken.
He said that during a recent reprisal period, the bandits killed two members of the Askarawa unit and also seized their weapons.
“You see we are one to one, they killed two of us and took away their rifles and we also killed them and possessed their firearms initially,” Husseini said.
Husseini explained that Jammo later requested reconciliation after losing one of his fighters during a military operation in Kandare village, a move the community accepted independently of government policy.
According to him, a 50-man delegation was sent, but they were instead taken hostage upon arrival, though 11 were later freed.
Hon. Husseini also disclosed that Jammo is demanding ₦24 million in exchange for the three seized rifles.
“We are against any form of reconciliation because we know they are not trustworthy, they can speak one true statement against a hundred lies.”
“The people he held hostage were elderly and he had no reason to hold them hostage; he betrayed them by saying he is tired of banditry and opted for reconciliation,” Husseini said.
He added that he had been forced to relocate from his ward due to insecurity, despite his opposition to reconciliation efforts.
Both the chairman and the councilor called on government and security agencies to launch an offensive on the “Dajin Natsira” forest, describing it as a long-standing safe haven for armed groups in Zamfara State.
“They have never been attacked by any security forces and we are optimistic that if the government wants to help these people, one patrol five kilometers away from the village will yield a very good positive result.”
They further argued that sustained operations in the forest could restore peace across several local government areas including Talata Mafara, Bakura, Anka, Gummi, Bukkuyum, Maru and Bungudu.
They also appealed to Governor Dauda Lawal and Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle to intervene urgently.
Husseini said Jammo is regarded as the overall leader of the Dajin Natsira forest network, which includes Bayan Ruwa, Kwargwaro, Aljumma Fulani, Gidan Dawa and Kyetare, each with its own subordinate leadership structure.
