Armed bandits terrorizing some Local Government Areas and communities in Niger State, have promised to release all the kidnapped victims in their captivity, within the State. This followed a ‘mediation parley’ between a popular Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, and the criminals. Notorious kidnapping warlords such as Dogon Gida, Kachalla, and others, it was gathered, attended the reconciliation forum with Gumi.
They expressed willingness to part of any deradicalization exercise or programme that the government will unveil for their repentant ‘boys’. “The meeting took place at an isolated area inside a forest in the State, yesterday,” a security source reliably informed PRNigeria.
The bandits, he said, told Gumi, that they are tired of the atrocities and killing of innocent persons, the have been carrying out.
“They are not happy that several of their cows have been bombarded, and some stolen by robbers. They alleged that their fellow herdsmen have been killed by some villagers,” he added. According to the source, who declined giving his name, the bandits took Gumi round some wells were bodies of their fulani relatives and family members, killed in aerial bombardments, were dumped. “They also let Sheikh Gumi know that vigilantee members in some communities always attack their fulani relatives and family members, whenever they sight them going to markets and towns,” he said.
