The Zamfara State Committee on Armed Banditry and Related Offenses has told notorious bandit Bello Turji that he has to surrender his arms publicly and for his repentance to be taken seriously.
Chairman of the committee, Abdullahi Shinkafi, stated this on Tuesday in Gusau, the state capital.
The state Deputy Governor, Senator Hassan Nasiha, had said that Turji had embraced dialogue and pledged to turn against other terrorists.
Nasiha stated this on Saturday while addressing addressing participants at a Security Conference
Recall that Governor Bello Matawalle had introduced a peace dialogue with bandits a few months after assuming office to end banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom.
Several bandits, including Auwalun Daudawa, who masterminded the abduction of Students in Kankara, Katsina state, in December 2020, publicly surrendered their arms and toed the path of peace.
But barely two years into the programme, some bandits returned to the bush and resumed operations.
Shinkafi said the committee would not be a party to any dialogue with bandits because most of them are not sincere.
He said, “As far as I am concerned, I know that he has embraced peace but I cannot say that he has repented because if he has repented, he has to surrender all his arms and ammunition, come to the government and submit his arms like what other repentant bandits did.
“Anything to do with dialogue with bandits, count me out because most of them are not trustworthy, they are not sincere, they are not honest, whatever you agreed with them, they will still go back to their bad business, most of them.”
Shinkafi also lamented the “prolonged investigations and delayed prosecution” of arrested bandits.
“The major problem we are having is from the security agencies and the judges and lawyers who are protecting these criminals, when you arrested a bandit with 11 AK-47 rifles, which evidence are you waiting for? He needs to be sent to his creator,” he said.
“When an armed bandit was caught in an act, killing people and you are waiting for investigation, what are you investigating for? Send him to his creator.”
