Following the peace initiative by the Zamfara State Government together with 1 Division Nigerian Army, which started in 2016, repentant armed bandits and livestock rustlers have continued to surrender their weapons to the military in the state, military authorities have said.

According to the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, “on Wednesday 8th March 2017, repentant armed bandits and local vigilante group called ‘Yansakai’ in Ruwan Tofa, ’Yar Galadima and Babban Doka in Maru Local Government Area, Danwaren Daji in Tsafe Local Government Area, as well as Mada in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State, handed over large quantities of dangerous arms and ammunition.”

These include three AK-47 Rifles, one foreign made Pistol, 1,169 Dane Guns, 323 locally made Pistols, 54 locally made Revolvers, 102 Locally Made Multi-Barrel Pistols and 22 Locally made Double Barrel Rifles.

The weapons, the Army Spokesman said, were handed to 223 Battalion, 1 Brigade Nigerian Army in the presence of some state government officials and representatives of the various heads of security agencies in the state. Over the last few months over a thousand assorted weapons have been surrendered across the North West zone.