Repentant bandits in Kaduna State have assured Kaduna Governor, Uba Sani and National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of their commitment to the peace pact recently brokered by the state government.
This was as the bandits, who had been terrorizing communities in Birnin Gwari Emirate, Buruku, and Sabon Birni, expressed remorse for their past atrocities and pledged to become law-abiding citizens.
They said they had lived in the forests, far from city life for more than 10 years, and would therefore be happy if the government gave them a sense of belonging and allowed their children to attend schools.
A Fulani elder who claimed to be a representative of bandit kingpin, Yellow Janbross and a Fulani community leader, Ardo , said it was time for all Fulani leaders across the federation, to talk to their subjects and convince them to fully embrace the peace process.
Speaking to journalists in Birnin Gwari, on a visit to the troubled city on Sunday, he said “they should follow the Kaduna example and lay down arms.”
“We are grateful for this peace pact and shall continue to pray for its sustainability. Thank you government,” said a Fulani elder, who claimed to be a representative of bandit kingpin Jan Bross.
“We assure Governor Sani and NSA Ribadu that we will adhere to the peace pact and work towards a peaceful coexistence with our neighbors,” he added.
Another repentant bandit, Alhaji Ibrahim Bokolo, said the crisis made him and his family to relocate to neighbouring Niger state, noting that now that he had returned to Birnin-Gwari after several years, he appealed for more understanding especially from local vigilante and cautioned trouble makers to desist from any act that could breach the peace pact.
Alhaji Isa, Fulani chieftain, said they would listen to the government and abide by the peace pact, while calling on government to check the activities of some vigilante members in neighbouring Zara,Gidigodi in Niger state,who were allegedly stopping the free movement of trucks loaded with cattle.
Muhammadu Lawali, a repentant bandit,assured that the current peace pact was different from previous ones,as both parties had genuine intention. He prayed for forgiveness and encouraged the Fulani and Hausa to show more love to one another .
“We now have respite,we can move freely and intermingle with people from different parts of the community. This is a clear departure from the recent past, we were confined to the bush and only saw the town from afar. That was how I lived for the past 7 years. We thank Almighty Allah and the authorities for this peace pact,” he said.
Suleiman Yes Power, another repentant bandit who was full of smiles, said he was delighted to have sold his cow at the Birnin Gwari cattle market, something he could not do in the previous years.
While displaying a wad of money, he prayed for the peace pact to be sustained so that the town would be full of economic activities,attracting people from far and near. He assured that on their part, they would continue to honour and respect the pact.
The Kaduna State government, in collaboration with federal agencies, established “The Peace Dialogue Group” to engage stakeholders and facilitate the peace process.
With this, several senior bandit leaders had laid down their arms and embraced peace, along with their followers.
The state government has also inaugurated a Peace and Reconciliation Committee to sustain and maintain the peace accord.
The committee, which comprises key stakeholders from the government, the Hausa and Fulani communities, and others, meets regularly to address any issues that may arise.
Our correspondent who visited Birnin-Gwari, the epicentre of the banditry, observed that the peace pact has already begun to yield positive results, with the reopening of the Birnin Gwari cattle market, which had been closed for over 12 years due to insecurity.
The market has witnessed a significant increase in economic activity, with over 50 trucks loaded with livestock departing for different parts of the country.
Similarly, the grains market has seen an upsurge in activity, with farmers starting to clear land for the next planting season.
The peace pact has also enabled the free movement of people and goods, with the Birnin-Gwari-Lagos Road now accessible 24 hours a day.
“We are enjoying peace and harmony in our community, and we are grateful to Governor Sani and NSA Ribadu for their efforts,” said Yusuf Ibrahim Jonga, a 25-year-old trader at the grains market.
“We can now move freely and interact with our Fulani brothers, and business is booming,” he added.
The Sarkin Zango Birnin-Gwari, Hambali Muhammad, who was in charge of the cattle market, said the cattle market has not been operational for over 10 years due to banditry.
“Today, over 50 trucks loaded with livestock left for different parts of this country. The market is back on track. All praises to Almighty Allah, ” he said.
Another farmer, Malam Mustapha said nothing could be more enjoyable than the freedom to move and interact
” We see them now,they see us too .The Fulani in the bush and we the Hausa, in the town. We are now together enjoying peace and harmony, ” he said.
“Now,we can go to where we couldn’t go,before, during the crisis period.We buy and sell,” he said.
“There are places in the forest where we could not plant crops. This year we are going to cultivate in these forests,” he said.
The Kaduna State government’s efforts to broker peace have been commended by stakeholders, including the District Head of the Sabon Birni community, who praised Governor Sani and NSA Ribadu for their initiative.
The Danmasanin Birnin-Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Idris AbdulRauf, expressed optimism that the peace pact would be sustained and emulated in other parts of the state and beyond.
“We believe that this peace pact is a model that can be replicated in other parts of the country, and we are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure its success,” AbdulRauf said.
Meanwhile, on his part, the Chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Local Government, Salisu Isah, attributed the return of peace to the efforts of Governor Senator Uba Sani, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, and other critical stakeholders.
“We had prayed to God, and we kept praying, and in His wisdom, He gave us a leeway to experience peace, which had eluded the council for over 12 years,” the Chairman said in an interview with journalists on Sunday.
The peace deal, brokered between the Federal and Kaduna State governments, has led to a significant reduction in violence and banditry in the area. The council has established a Peace and Reconciliation Committee, comprising all stakeholders, to ensure the prevailing peace is sustained.
“We have inaugurated the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which includes all stakeholders, and we have been meeting regularly to maintain the peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
He appealed to residents and those in the bush, including bandits, to exercise patience and continue praying for peace.
“Let’s exercise patience and continue to pray for the maintenance of the existing relative peace in the general area,” he said.
Isah also assured investors that the peace pact is here to stay, with a 70% assurance that peace would be maintained in Birnin-Gwari and neighboring communities.
“We have 70% assurance that, by the grace of God, peace has come to stay in Birnin-Gwari, and the neighboring communities in Niger and Zamfara states will learn from us,” he said.
Birnin-Gwari is known for its agricultural production, Isah said he was optimistic that, with sustained peace, the town would be able to feed the entire north with maize and other staple foods.
“We can feed Northern Nigeria, but in an atmosphere of peace. Once we can sustain peace, in the next few years, you will come and buy any type of food item you can from Birnin-Gwari in abundance,” he said.
He also said that the council was working to repair damaged telecom masts, while noting that some telecom providers have already begun operating in the town.
“Some of the telecom providers are already in town, and talks are ongoing for the repair of telecom masts that were destroyed by the activities of bandits in the town,” he said.
