Zamfara And The Royal Bandits By Vibrant Okuta

Nigeria lit up in pleasure when Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the 2015 Presidential elections. There was an aura of euphoria and a deep sigh of aid from residents, principally these from the Northern a part of the nation who had been below the torment and torture of Boko Haram terrorists within the Jonathan administration. The kidnapping of the Chibok women was the apex of it. No fewer than 25 individuals died in Northern Nigeria—Katsina, Taraba, Niger, Kano, Benue, and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory whereas celebrating Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in a harmful acrobatic method and riotous demonstration. This wild and strange jubilation was not unconnected to the truth that Nigerians had been assured that the “change” mantra had turn out to be a actuality and it might start with the rife insecurity, the start of the top of it, despite the fact that some paid with their lives.

Quick-forward to 2022. This insecurity has turn out to be worse, spiraling to a crescendo. Zamfara has turn out to be a theatre of battle and violence perpetrated by armed gangs referred to as Bandits. Their major obligation is to kill, kidnap, loot, and destroy properties in native communities in Zamfara and different neighboring states within the North West area.

On Saturday, July 17, in a carnival-like shindig, effectively attended by authorities officers and different high-profile individuals, Adamu Aliero, chief of the lethal bandits in Zamfara, was conferred the title of Sarkin Fulani—the Chief of the Fulani Individuals by the Emir of Yandoton Daji, Aliyu Marafa. Dignitaries current on the occasion embrace conventional rulers, district heads, the Safety Adviser to the state governor, Abubakar Dauran, the state Commissioner for safety and residential affairs, Mamman Tsafe, and Tsafe Native Authorities Chairman, Aminu Mudi, amongst others.

Within the blight of the overbearing insecurity within the state, it’s worrisome that these bloodthirsty males of the underworld have defeated the federal government on the federal and state stage, and the easiest way to acquiesce to this defeat is to bestow a conventional title on a terrorist chief. The horrid show of disgrace is a mirrored image of the extent to which the insecurity within the state and Nigeria at giant has transposed into an unimaginable realm. A plethora of puzzling questions hold pouring in, whether or not it’s this identical bandits chief who’s on the police wished ebook with a 5 million Naira bounty or a separate one who’s invisible. It makes an absolute mockery of the police and different safety forces who had been visibly current on the ceremony offering safety for attendees, whilst over 100 bandits stormed the venue from forest to merry with a satisfying belch.

After a lot nationwide uproar from Nigerians, the governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, introduced the suspension of Emir Aliyu Marafa, who bestowed the normal title on Adamu Aliero. That was an try to avoid wasting face as a result of it’s unimaginable that the governor was not conscious {that a} ceremony of such would occur in his state, together with his commissioners in attendance.

A horrifying video emerged on-line the place the Abuja-Kaduna prepare victims kidnapped on March 26, 2022, had been flogged and tortured mercilessly after spending over 119 days in kidnapped custody. Their solely crime was to board the Abuja-Kaduna prepare. There hasn’t been sufficient effort to safe their launch from bandits, and so they’re solely left with their lives on their palms. Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, and even the FCT are among the states which have witnessed some unhappy tales of bandits’ assaults and kidnappings in latest instances. There are little or no efforts from the safety companies to fish out these males which are making life insufferable for the citizenry.

The 2023 presidential election is quick approaching. Past the fuss it’s producing day by day, Nigerians have the choice to both turban one other Adamu Aliero as President and commander in chief and undergo one other 4 years of cascading insecurity or turban somebody who will usher in a sui generis method to ending this plague.

Vibrant Okuta is a author and digital journalist.
Twitter: @BrightOkuta