No fewer than 50 elderly men from Magamin Diddi village in the Magami/Faru district of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, have been abducted by armed bandits while attempting to hold peace talks with a notorious gang leader.
The incident occurred on Monday when the delegation travelled to meet a feared bandit commander identified as Jammo, who is said to operate from the Muntsira Forest in the Maradun area.
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Reports indicated that the elders had embarked on the mission in a bid to negotiate peace and restore stability in communities that have suffered repeated attacks from armed groups.
Confirming the development, Maradun Local Government Chairman, Bello Dosara, described the incident as unfortunate and emphasized that the peace initiative was undertaken without the approval or knowledge of either the local or state government.
According to him, the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal has consistently maintained a firm stance against negotiating with criminal groups.
“We do not support reconciliation deals with bandits, and Governor Dauda Lawal has repeatedly rejected such arrangements. Unfortunately, the community chose to proceed with the meeting without consulting the authorities,” Dosara stated.
He explained that despite the persistent security threats in the area, the local government had been facilitating weekly security escorts to allow residents access to markets and other essential services.
The council chairman expressed concern that community members opted to engage directly with the same armed groups responsible for disrupting their livelihoods and restricting movement.
“It is difficult to understand why they decided to negotiate with those who have prevented them from carrying out their normal economic activities, especially when the government has been providing security support,” he said.
Dosara revealed that 11 members of the delegation had been released, while 39 others remained in captivity.
According to him, those freed were sent back to their communities to communicate the demands made by the abductors.
Also commenting on the incident, the councillor representing Magami/Faru ward, Bello Husseini, said tensions between local vigilante groups, popularly known as Askarawa, and armed bandits had intensified in recent months.
He explained that security operatives had previously neutralised two key associates of Jammo and recovered their weapons during a confrontation. In retaliation, the bandits reportedly attacked vigilante members during the Ramadan period, killing two operatives and carting away their firearms.
Husseini said the bandit leader later approached community leaders seeking reconciliation after one of his men was reportedly killed during a military operation in Kandare village.
Despite government opposition to any peace deal, community stakeholders accepted the proposal and assembled a 50-member delegation to meet with the gang leader.
“Upon arrival, Jammo reneged on the agreement. Rather than engage in dialogue, he detained the delegation and only released 11 of them,” the councillor alleged.
He further disclosed that the bandit commander was demanding N24 million in exchange for three rifles he claimed were taken from his group.
Husseini argued that the incident vindicated the government’s refusal to negotiate with criminal elements, stressing that such groups could not be relied upon to honour agreements.
“These are elderly men who went there believing they were working towards peace. He claimed he wanted to abandon criminal activities, but instead he deceived and abducted them,” he said.
The councillor, who said insecurity had forced him to leave the ward, urged security agencies to intensify operations in the Dajin Natsira Forest, which remains a stronghold for bandit groups.
Both Dosara and Husseini appealed to the federal and state governments to increase military action in the area, noting that dismantling criminal camps within the forest would greatly enhance security across several communities and local government areas.
They specifically called on Governor Dauda Lawal and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to intervene and facilitate the safe release of those still being held.
Jammo is regarded as one of the most prominent bandit leaders operating around the Dajin Natsira corridor, an area that spans several communities, including Bayan Ruwa, Kwargwaro, Aljumma Fulani, Gidan Dawa and Kyetare.
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