There was tension in Birnin Magaji local government area of Zamfara state Wednesday after residents cordoned their emir’s palace and killed seven suspected bandits.
Birnin Magaji is the hometown of the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, a retired brigadier general.
Similarly, a person suspected to be a State Security Service (SSS) operative and believed to be conniving with the hoodlums, was beaten to a state of coma by the residents before being rescued by the soldiers guarding the emir’s palace.
The armed bandits were said to be at the emir’s palace on a ‘peace mission’ to retrieve their cows confiscated after an airstrike on their base in Birnin Magaji forest by the Nigerian Air Force.
It was gathered that after an airstrike on the forest April 4, several residents hinted the soldiers and even accompanied them to the hoodlums’ base during which about 200 rustled cattle were recovered.
The bandits, who had always dared the residents unchecked, however, visited the palace to secure the release of their cows.
But Emir of Birnin Magaji Husseini Dan-Ali was said to be away to Kaduna during their visit, following which the secretary, Muhammadu Mai-inji, hosted the suspected bandits and SSS official in the palace.
The emir is the younger brother of the defence minister.
As news filtered to residents that the gunmen were in town, the people hurriedly mobilised and cordoned the palace with the intent of setting same on fire.
The residents were, however, dissuaded by soldiers guarding the palace, even as they anxiously stayed around the palace pending when the hoodlums would come out of the meeting.
And just as the hoodlums made their way out of the palace, the residents swooped on them, and in the process vandalised the SSS operational vehicle.
It took the timely intervention of the soldiers to save the suspected SSS operative who sustained a high degree of injuries.
Fear of reprisal
Meanwhile, there are fears of possible reprisal by the bandits, a development that has caused some disquiet within the Birnin Magaji community.
Sources said the criminals, whom we gathered, “are huge in number and well armed” are closing in on the town on a revenge mission after a failed peace mission.
A resident who spoke under anonymity said, “It will be foolhardy of us to think there won’t be reprisal. Information reaching us shows they are regrouping to attack the town, but we are not leaving anything to chances.
“But the interesting thing is that we are also prepared for them, as youth from neighbouring communities have indicated their interest to join in the fight.”
He therefore called on the federal government to further beef up security around the town “as a kind of encouragement to the residents who confronted and felled the daring bandits.”
When contacted, acting spokesperson, ‘Operation Sharan Daji’, Clement Abiade said “the military are aware about the planned attack.”
“That’s why more troops are on (the) ground in the area because mostly, we suspect a reprisal (attack), the soldiers are on alert,” he said.
Following the spate of banditry attacks leading to death of many and several injured, the NAF was deployed to Zamafara and other neighbouring states to put a stop to the bandits’ activities.
With incessant air strikes by NAF, the hoodlums were displaced with some even taking refuge in neighbouring communities.
Reps invite Buhari
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has for the umpteenth time invited President Muhammadu Buhari to brief it over the looming state of insecurity in the country.
The House, had on April 11, 2019, issues similar invitation to the president, giving him a 48-hour ultimatum to personally appear and brief the House, and the nation at large on measures so far taken to address the rising I security.
The latest resolution on the matter was taken Thursday, following a motion on “Urgent need for federal government’s intervention on the ongoing wanton killing of innocent persons, destruction of properties, armed robbery and kidnappings by heavily armed bandits operating within Safana/Batsari/Dansamu Federal Constituency”, sponsored by Ahmed Dayyabu-Safana.
Safana, while moving the motion, stated that some villages within his constituency had been serially attacked with many people killed by armed bandits.
He said as an immediate step in containing the evil activities of the heavily armed bandits, the president should urgently declare a state of emergency in the federal constituency.
“The House notes with dismay the ongoing attacks on various communities with Safana/Batsari/Dansamu Federal Constituency of Katsina state by heavily armed bandits who continuously unleash mayhem against my constituents on daily basis.
“The recent spate of the said attacks on members of my constituency has reached an alarming stage as the perpetrators of this dastardly act continuously kill innocent persons in my constituency and set their homes ablaze while defenceless men and women are abducted to an unknown destination.
“Up to four villages within my constituency are currently under attack in the last 48 hours namely: Massa Village in Batasari local government where no fewer than 5 persons have been killed, Alhazawa Village in Safana LGA had been totally displaced, Guzurawa village in Safana LGA also had several persons murdered in cold blood and just on Thursday, Gobirawa village came under attack with no fewer than 12 dead bodies littered in the bush while many are still missing,” the lawmaker said.
In his remarks, Speaker Yakubu Dogara said it was necessary to invite the president for an address since the issue of banditry had become national.
