39 Elders Kidnapped in Zamfara After Failed Meeting with Bandit Leader

At least 39 elderly people from Magamin Diddi village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State are still in captivity. This happened after a meeting with a known bandit leader went wrong, according to Daily Trust.

These victims were part of a 50-member group from their community. They went to meet a bandit kingpin named Jammo, who is based in the Muntsira Forest area of the local government.

Bello Dosara, the chairperson of Maradun Local Government, confirmed the situation to Daily Trust. He said the community set up the meeting without the state government’s permission.

Mr Dosara mentioned that the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal does not agree with negotiating with armed groups. He added that they were not aware of the community's plans.

"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," he said.

He explained that Jammo had previously limited residents' access to local markets. Because of this, the council arranged for weekly security escorts for villagers traveling to and from the area.

Mr Dosara was surprised that community members decided to meet the bandit leader despite the security arrangements in place. He confirmed that 11 members of the group were released, while the remaining 39 are still held captive.

"He released some to brief the people on what happened," the council chairman said.

Bello Husseini, the councillor for Magami/Faru Ward, also spoke to Daily Trust. He linked the kidnapping to recent clashes between the bandit group and Zamfara’s community security group, known as Askarawa.

Mr Husseini said security forces had previously killed two of Jammo's men and taken their weapons. He added that the bandits retaliated during Ramadan, killing two members of the vigilante group and taking their rifles.

According to the councillor, Jammo sought reconciliation after one of his men was killed in a military operation in Kandare village. The community then formed a 50-member committee to meet with him, even though the government opposed any negotiations.

Mr Husseini said the bandit leader betrayed the group when they arrived and took them hostage, releasing only 11 members. He also claimed that Jammo is asking for N24 million in exchange for three rifles that were taken from his group.

"We are against any form of reconciliation because they are not trustworthy," he said, as reported by Daily Trust.

The council chairman and the ward councillor called on security agencies to boost operations in Dajin Natsira forest. They described it as a major stronghold for armed groups in the area.

They argued that ongoing military action in the forest could greatly improve security in several local government areas. These include Talata Mafara, Bakura, Anka, Gummi, Bukkuyum, Maru, and Bungudu.

The officials also asked Governor Lawal and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to support efforts to restore peace in the affected communities. Mr Husseini described Jammo as a key figure in the Dajin Natsira area, which contains several settlements, including Bayan Ruwa, Kwargwaro, Aljumma Fulani, Gidan Dawa, and Kyetare.