Armed bandits have abducted 50 elderly residents of Magamin Diddi village in Magami/Faru Ward of Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State while they were on a reconciliation mission to a forest hideout, local authorities have confirmed.
The victims were reportedly seized by a notorious bandit leader identified as Jammo, who operates from the Muntsira Forest axis in the state.
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Maradun Local Government Area, Bello Dosara, said the delegation embarked on the mission without government approval despite repeated warnings against negotiating directly with armed groups.
“We are against reconciliation with the bandits and Governor Dauda Lawal never supported that, but unknown to us the people chose to go on with it,” Dosara said.
He explained that residents had continued to suffer restrictions imposed by the same armed group, particularly access to markets, but insisted that the local government had consistently provided security escorts for traders.
“The bandits’ kingpin blocked the village access to market, but I constantly maintained giving them weekly security backup to come to the market and return home,” he said.
“I wonder why, how they go and meet their rivals, they block access to the market and I support them with security every week,” Dosara added.
According to him, 11 of the abducted villagers have since regained their freedom, while 39 others remain in captivity.
“He released some to just brief the people on the unfortunate incident,” he added.
The councillor representing Magami/Faru Ward, Bello Husseini, said the area had witnessed a series of retaliatory attacks between bandits and the Zamfara State security outfit, known as the Askarawa.
“Previously the bandits kingpin Jammo who is terrorizing the area had an encounter with the Zamfara State security outfit ‘Askarawa’ where they killed two of his lieutenants and catered away their rifles,” he said.
He noted that the violence intensified during the last Ramadan period.
“However, during the last fasting period, the bandits, who were on a reprisal attack, also killed two Askarawa personnel and took away their rifles.
“You see we are one to one, they killed two of us and took away their rifles and we also killed them and possessed their firearms initially,” Husseini said.
According to the councillor, the latest incident began after Jammo reportedly sought reconciliation following the death of one of his fighters during a recent military operation in Kandare village.
“Husseini added that the bandit Kingpin requested for reconciliation after one of his boys was killed in a recent military operations at Kandare village, which the people granted on their own against the government policy.”
He said the villagers subsequently constituted a 50-member committee to meet with the bandit leader, only for the delegation to be betrayed and abducted.
“According to him, the communities sent in a 50-man committee and on their arrival, Jamm betrayed and kidnapped them but later released 11 people.”
Husseini further disclosed that the bandit leader was demanding ₦24 million in exchange for three rifles seized during previous clashes.
“Jammo is currently demanding N24 million for the three seized rifles.”
The councillor rejected any form of negotiation with the armed group, insisting that its members could not be trusted.
“We are against any form of reconciliation because we know they are not trustworthy, they can speak one true statement against a hundred lies.
“The people he held hostage were elderly and he had no reason to hold them hostage; he betrayed them by saying he is tired of banditry and opted for reconciliation,” he added.
Husseini also revealed that he had relocated from the ward because of the worsening insecurity despite opposing reconciliation efforts.
Both the council chairman and the ward councillor appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to launch a major offensive in the Dajin Natsira forest, which they described as a long-standing sanctuary for armed groups.
“They have never been attacked by any security forces and we are optimistic that if the government wants to help these people, one patrol five kilometers away from the village will yield a very good positive result.”
“Whenever the forest was bombed, 6 local government areas out of the 14 in the state such as Talata Mafara, Bakura, Anka, Gummi, Bukkuyum, Maru and Bungudu will definitely be peaceful.”
They also called on Governor Dauda Lawal and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to intervene urgently.
Jammo is believed to be the dominant figure in the Dajin Natsira axis, which encompasses Bayan Ruwa, Kwargwaro, Aljumma Fulani, Gidan Dawa and Kyetare, with each enclave reportedly controlled by subordinate commanders.
