In a significant move towards restoring peace to Kaduna State, scores of bandits terrorising not less than five local government areas, have agreed to drop their arms and discontinue their reign of terror in and around the state.

The bandits are known to terrorise Chikun, Kajuru, Kagarko, Giwa and Birnin Gwari local government areas.

Based in enclaves, they have terrorised communities and major highways, such as the Kaduna-Abuja highway, Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway, as well as the Funtua-Birnin Gwari road.

Weekend Trust had an exclusive access into a peace deal spearheaded by the Kaduna State Government, in collaboration with some federal government agencies that saw many notorious bandit kingpins and their foot soldiers pledging peace and agreeing to lay down their arms.

Within a stretch of three days in December, our correspondent accompanied government officials to various enclaves and observed the interactions between the bandits, mostly armed with AK47 rifles, and representatives of the government in Tsohuwar Gayan, Chikun local government area; Rima Forest and Maidaro in Giwa Local Government Area; as well as Kamfanin Doka, along the Funtua-Birnin Gwari road.

The initiative was, however, not without an initial glitch as less than 72 hours after the peace deal, one of the popular kingpins, Samaila Suleiman, also known as Boka, who was terrorising communities in Chikun, as well as Jere in Kagarko, Rijana in Kachia and parts of Kajuru Local Government Area, was killed in what sources said was a military raid. This had caused a major setback to the peace efforts.

Since the killing of Boka, other bandit leaders did not only threaten to pull out of the peace deal, but hinted of a likely reprisal on communities around Birnin Gwari.

But those championing the peace deal said there is no cause for alarm, insisting that the process was ongoing and the ultimate positive result would be felt soon.

Kaduna government reacts

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, Malam Ibrahim Musa, who spoke on the matter, said the state government, in collaboration with some federal agencies, had established The Peace Dialogue Group, which is developing the ?Kaduna Model,? a comprehensive framework for sustainable peace and security.

He said: ?This model will include disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration, alongside investments in rural development and conflict resolution. It is a holistic approach that addresses both the symptoms and root causes of insecurity.

?The model entails engaging stakeholders tirelessly. This non-kinetic approach led to numerous meetings and extensive discussions, culminating in building bridges of trust, which made several senior bandit leaders to lay down their arms and embrace peace, along with their followers,? he said.

He said that in order to sustain the peace deal, the government had outlawed the activities of ?an Sa Kai, the local vigilante, especially in Birnin Gwari. In addition, he said Governor Uba Sani would be fair and just to everyone, including farmers, herders and traders in order to achieve a lasting peace and development in the state.

Musa further said the state government?s rehabilitation of repentant bandits was based on the principle of carrot and stick, stressing that while it welcomes those who choose peace, it would not hesitate to take a decisive action against anyone who continues to perpetuate violence.

Face-to-face with bandit kingpins

Security sources hinted Weekend Trust in December that negotiations started two months ago as part of efforts by mainly the Kaduna State Government to use kinetic and non-kinetic measures to end insecurity in the state.

Our correspondent reports that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has not made a clear policy direction about peace deal with bandits, but several deals orchestrated by past governments of Zamfara and Katsina states have failed. Many analysts insist that bandits have no central leadership, which makes it difficult to reach any form of peace agreement with them.

But there are other opinion leaders who believe that different options must be adopted to bring an end to the insecurity ravaging the North-West, which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced many.

The immediate past administration of Muhammadu Buhari had in 2022 branded the bandits as terrorists.

While reinforcing their stand in February last year, governors in the North-West also ruled out any form of peace deal with bandits. Their chairman and governor of Katsina State, Umar Dikko Radda, instead maintained that the launch of a quasi-security organisation referred to as Community Protection Guards would help check the activities of bandits in the region.

The governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, in November 2024, however, received what he called ?repentant bandits? as part of his government?s initiative to build bridges and subsequently get the bandits to lay down their arms.

Governor Sani?s method is also seen as a complete deviation from his immediate predecessor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai who had ruled out any form of peace deal with bandits throughout his eight years in office.

Sani, however, said his administration, in collaboration with some federal agencies, established ?The Peace Dialogue Group,? which has been engaging stakeholders.

He nevertheless warned: ?While we welcome those who choose peace, we will not hesitate to take a decisive action against anyone who continues to perpetuate violence.?

As part of this broader initiative, which our correspondent was privy to, meetings took place in four different locations of Chikun, Birnin Gwari and Giwa local government areas, which saw bandit kingpins such as Samaila Suleiman, also known as Boka, Yellow Jamboros, Sadiq Yellow, Saleh Horror and other leaders pledging to abide by the peace deal.

On the eve of the new year, the military high command said troops deployed to various operations across the country had in the last 12 months eliminated 10,937 terrorists, apprehended 12,538 and rescued 7,063 hostages.

The Director of Defence, Media Operations, Major-General Edward Buba, made this known while briefing newsmen on the operations of the military in 2024.

This is on the heels of recent statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which revealed that between May 2023 and April 2024, over 614,937 Nigerians were killed and 2,235,954 kidnapped across the country. It also revealed that N2.2 trillion was paid as ransom.

The Director of Defence, Media Operations, Major-General Edward Buba, made this known while briefing newsmen on the operations of the military in 2024.

This is on the heels of recent statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which revealed that between May 2023 and April 2024, over 614,937 Nigerians were killed and 2,235,954 kidnapped across the country. It also revealed that N2.2 trillion was paid as ransom.

Inside story of the bandits

Our correspondent gathered that Boka masterminded several abductions even as far as Kwara State, and the May 2024 abduction of dozens of students of Confluence of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara in Kogi State.

On his part, Yellow Jamboros, known for terrorising parts of Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway, is alleged to have abducted many travellers and villagers, as well as rustled cattle in and around Birnin Gwari and Giwa local government areas.

Jamboros is believed to have hundreds of armed foot soldiers, with his base located around Kamfanin Doka, along the dangerous Funtua-Birnin Gwari road that links Dansadau forest in Zamfara State.

Sadiq Yellow, a kingpin operating around Kateri and Gadan Malam Mamman on the Kaduna-Abuja highway and another bandit identified as Musa, operating around Jere, Maro and Sabon Gayan of the Kaduna-Abuja highway, were also at the peace meeting.

Saleh Horror, who operates alongside Boka, as well as Haruna Dukununu, notorious for operations around Rima, Sabon Birnin and Maidaro villages in Giwa Local Government Area, said they were willing to accept the government?s peace deal.

Their demands

Many of the bandit leaders who were at the four meetings expressed weariness with the criminal activities and even regretted some of the atrocities they committed against Nigerians. They, however, stressed that for the peace deal to work, security agents must stop attacking them, while the federal government must release their men.

?For a very long time, the Nigerian government refused to invite us for peace talks, which prolonged the insecurity. We have been losing lives unnecessarily from both sides, but now, we are hoping that the peace agreement would last forever,? Boka said while explaining their decision to take the peace deal.

He assured that his men would cease all forms of criminality, on the condition that security agents would halt attacks on them. ?If the government treats us like citizens and stops attacking us, we will stop kidnapping,? he insisted.

Elaborating their grievances, he said their wives and children had been killed by security agents.

?So we looked for guns to protect ourselves. We didn?t have guns for years, we were only known to use sticks to rear our animals, but presently, it is difficult to see a Fulani man with a stick, but a gun,? he said.

Another bandit leader simply identified as Musa, as well as Sadiq Yellow, emphasised the need to release some of their men currently in Kuje prison, Abuja.

Musa accused security agents and vigilante groups of attacking Fulani settlements, and urged them to stop for the sake of peace, while also urging displaced villagers to return to their homes without fear.

Hassan Zubairu, one of the lieutenants of Yellow Jamboros, assured that the Kadun-Birnin Gwar road would henceforth be safe for travellers.

At Rima forest in Giwa Local Government Area, Haruna Dandukunu said ammunition had been handed over to the government in the past, and assured that more would be handed over if the peace deal stands.

?Peace is our ultimate goal?

However, a government negotiator who wished to remain anonymous, assured the bandits of government?s commitment for peace.

He said, ?As you plead for the release of some of your members in detention, the government will consider your demands if the peace agreement holds. But we expect you to release all the people in your custody without waiting for the government to do the same.?

Residents react

Community leaders and villagers have expressed optimism over the peace deal. Alhaji Idris Ardo Barka, a community leader in Sabon Gayan, along the Kaduna-Abuja highway, urged both the government and the bandits to be sincere.

He urged villagers to accept the peace deal with good intentions and sincerity, while expressing optimism that other bandits will lay down their arms.

Malam Abdulfatai, a farmer, expressed hope for a bumper harvest next year, marking the first time in five years he would visit his farm.

?The last time I visited this village was five years ago. In order to avoid being killed or abducted for ransom, nobody comes here, but today, we are all here to witness the peace deal. And we are happy with the development. I can?t wait to return to my farm,? he said.

Women and children who were seen inspecting their deserted homes said they looked forward to rebuilding their lives.

?We are excited to come back to our village. We want to go back to our normal lives,? a housewife said.

Our correspondent also observed motorists plying the Birnin Gwari-Kaduna road without security escorts, an indication that some level of security has returned.

A traveller along the road, Muhammadu Abubakar, confirmed the development to Weekend Trust and urged the government to do all it takes to end the insecurity.

?We are happy with the development because the road is safe with no more abductions, at least for now,? he said.

Meanwhile, a security analyst and chairman of the Birnin Gwari-Niger Inter-boundaries Communities Association, Ishaq Usman Kasai, urged the federal government to expand the peace deal to neighbouring states of Niger, Katsina and Zamfara to ensure that bandits from those areas do not infiltrate into Birnin Gwari.

He said that long and short-term measures should be applied in addressing the concerns of the bandits for a sustainable peace.

?We urge the government to find a way to support other villagers that suffered, especially whose livelihoods were destroyed. Let them forgive the atrocities committed against them,? he said.

Boka killed 72 hours after peace deal

Three days after accepting a peace deal, Weekend Trust gathered that Boka, the notorious bandit kingpin, was killed by suspected security forces.

Sources familiar with the situation said Boka was in the company of his lieutenant around Tsohuwar Gayan forest, near Jere when they were ambushed.

During the peace meeting, Boka had also said: ?From today, if the security agencies stop attacking us in the forest, we have promised that we will never attack any village; and we will stop kidnapping villagers for ransom.?

However, 72 hours after that pronouncement, the bandit leader was killed in an operation sources said could be an attempt to sabotage the peace agreement.

?The president and the minister of defence should call for an investigation into this killing because we suspect sabotage. The bandit leader promised to end abductions and killings in his area, which is what we hoped for to enjoy peace,? the source said.

Weekend Trust could not independently verify who killed Boka or how he was killed, but an audio message from Yellow Jamboros, another bandit leader who was at the peace deal, described the killing as a signal that may spur other bandits to boycott the peace agreement.

?I want the government to punish the soldiers that killed him, as well as those who attacked our wives and cows in Birnin Gwari within a week. If not, we will also seek revenge,? he threatened in the audio recording. (Text, excluding headline: Weekend Trust)

Update news