A former bandit leader in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State, Wada Yellow Musawa, has said the peace agreement between his group and residents is still holding, despite a resurgence of attacks in the area.
Wada attributed the recent violence to armed groups from neighbouring Zamfara State, accusing them of infiltrating Musawa to carry out cattle rustling operations.
According to Daily Trust, he expressed concern over what he described as a withdrawal of support from the authorities, noting that this has reduced their capacity to effectively respond to the incursions.
He further stated that his group recently confronted some of the attackers, leading to a gun battle in which several assailants were killed, while others escaped. He added that the fleeing attackers later regrouped and launched a retaliatory assault on his community.
The reprisal attack, he said, resulted in personal losses, including the death of his father and his brother’s wife. He also disclosed that his residence was set ablaze and his livestock stolen.
“I am not backing out of the peace deal because I have vowed never to return to banditry. However, I was forced to relocate to the bush, and the support we used to receive from authorities is no longer coming,” he said.
Despite the setbacks, Wada reiterated his commitment to sustaining the peace agreement.
In a related development, the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Musawa, Lawan Ibrahim Ribeji, also raised alarm over the increasing influx of bandits from Zamfara into the area.
Ribeji noted that the peace arrangement had been working effectively until Wada became a target of repeated attacks.
While acknowledging the support of the local government chairman, he stressed the need for more robust security intervention to address the growing threat.
He added that residents of the area are currently living in fear amid renewed insecurity.
Katsina attacks linked to Zamfara armed groups – Ex-bandit leader
