Nigerians and the remainder of the world had been bowled over when a video of hundreds of bandits celebrating Sallah in Zamfara State surfaced on social media.
The event, many say, is a slap on Nigeria’s safety structure.
The video, which was disclosed by a counter insurgency analysts and safety skilled centered on Lake Chad area, Zaga Zula Mahama, on Thursday, April 18, has been producing reactions from Nigerians.
The bandits of their hundreds had been proven partaking within the Sallah festivities.
Nigerians have paid closely in varied kinds, following the actions of the bandits, notably within the North West and North Central, the place they’ve made life a residing hell for the individuals.
Nigerians of their lots of of hundreds have been kidnapped previously by the bandits and ransom operating into tens of millions to safe their launch.
Many who couldn’t afford the outrageous ransom which they demand from most frequently have been brutally killed.
Many others have died out of torture of their palms or on account of inclement climate within the forests and thick bushes the place the bandits had at all times saved them.
In some states, like Katsina, Zamfara and Niger, some native authorities areas are comfortably below the management of the bandits, the place they levy and accumulate taxes from the individuals with out worry of any penalties.
Though the navy saved assuring Nigerians that they had been on prime of the state of affairs, the bandits seem unperturbed as they hold dishing ache, sorrow and demise on a month-to-month foundation.
The state of affairs had turn into so disturbing that many individuals now query the authenticity of the data the navy has been feeding Nigerians with, because it impacts the counter insurgency struggle.
Nigerians have been instructed a number of occasions that scores of the bandits have been neutralised at completely different occasions in numerous places and states together with Zamfara, which is considered their headquarters. However, with the quantity seen on the video, many are asking if the data that the navy has been feeding Nigerians with is something to go by.
Some individuals are additionally saying that what the bandits wished to show with the viral video was merely to indicate that they’ve the backing of some highly effective people within the society.
A type of who’re sceptical in regards to the info from the navy authorities relating to their onslaught on the bandits is the president of the Center Belt Discussion board, MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus.
He puzzled why there are nonetheless hundreds of the bandits on the market regardless of assurances from the navy that they’re being handled.
Commenting on the viral video, Bitrus stated the bandits wished to showcase their faith.
He instructed DAILY POST that, “The bandits simply need to present that they’re Muslims, whether or not or not we settle for is immaterial.
“It additionally exhibits that up until now, it doesn’t matter what we’ve been instructed that the navy have accomplished with regard to decimating them, there are nonetheless plenty of them on the market who could cause havoc on this nation.”
He accused some individuals of paying lip service to the unity of the nation, as a result of based on him, in the event that they wished the nation to be one as they might need individuals to imagine, they might not be supporting the actions of the bandits.
He pressured that the one option to remedy the issue of banditry in Nigeria was to restructure the nation so that every state or geo-political area would be capable of present enough safety for her individuals.
“Sentiments aside, we’re individuals who imagine in a single Nigeria. However the actuality is that there are individuals who don’t imagine in a single Nigeria.
“In the event that they do, they won’t do what they’re doing. We have to do what is important and we stated we wish this nation to be restructured and that’s the approach ahead,” he acknowledged.
Additionally, the coordinator of the Arewa Youths Consultative Discussion board, AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima described the bandits’ braveness to seem publicly in such a big quantity as a transparent indication that the federal government of the day has to do extra.
“It is usually a sign that the bandits have taken the nation as a right, in any other case if the federal government is prepared and decided, it couldn’t have stated that it didn’t have details about the Sallah programme that bandits attended, or after they had been about to carry the programme.
“It’s because it was not a programme that the bandits held for one or two hours, it was a programme that took them a number of hours to execute.
“So, the federal government should buckle up as a result of the implication is that it’s an abuse of the sensibilities of the nation as a complete, and it has additionally gone additional to make a mockery of the nation’s safety forces.
“The federal government should buckle up and deal with the matter as soon as and for all,” he stated.
On the variety of bandits which have thus far been neutralised over time, Yerima insisted that no one might dispute the data, stressing that why it seems as the data was not true was as a result of the bandits recruit individuals into their fold every day.
“They have interaction and make use of people who find themselves jobless by the day. So, the difficulty of claiming that the data is just not true shouldn’t even come up as a result of the navy is actually making an attempt, however simply that they should do extra.
“Solely God is aware of what would have occurred if not for the navy’s effort.
“They’re making an attempt however they need to put extra effort and clear the mess as soon as and for all,” he submitted.
For a former member of the Katsina State Home of Meeting, Alhaji Shehu Yusuf, banditry had turn into a giant drawback within the nation, notably within the North.
He stated he aligned with the Kaduna State governor who just lately stated that everyone was concerned in banditry.
“Ranging from the neighborhood members that present info to the normal rulers, the safety brokers and the federal government, all people is concerned as a result of wanting on the approach they function, they will need to have the help of some individuals locally who give them dependable info that allows them to assault individuals at random and disappear with no hint.
“I imagine that there are people who find themselves supporting them as a result of for the bandits to return contained in the city to a prayer floor which is a public place in such a big quantity, with arms and end no matter they had been doing and left unhindered is unbelievable.
“It’s complicated and there should be individuals supporting them and offering them with helpful info,” he instructed DAILY POST.
Insisting that nearly all people was concerned within the menace, he stated: “Do not forget that victims that had the chance to talk to the media often inform us that they know the bandits and the place they’re hiding, particularly in Zamfara State and in all communities which are being attacked by bandits.
“The individuals in such communities know the bandits personally and their hideouts.
“They go to the market and purchase no matter they need, and anytime they like they will strike the communities, kill individuals and carry their belongings. That’s precisely what is occurring.
“These individuals are Nigerians. They dwell among the many individuals locally and the individuals know them and their hideouts.
“So, it’s complicated and one can’t perceive why they’re doing what they’re doing and the federal government has not been capable of cope with them decisively.”
He suggested the federal government to go all out not solely in opposition to the bandits but additionally in opposition to their associates, sympathisers, informants and sponsors, and cope with them ruthlessly, based on the legislation of the land.
He additionally famous that they had been capable of show what they did in Zamfara with no whimper from the safety brokers as a result of they’ve highly effective people within the society who at all times come for them every time they’re arrested.
“Usually, when the safety brokers arrest these bandits and take them to custody, besides they’re killed on the spot, they’ll at all times discover their approach out, both from the courtroom, police cell, navy cell or wherever they’re being saved, and after a while, you see them again within the society.
“There is no such thing as a authorized motion in opposition to them and that is what is occurring. So, their supporters have a approach of getting them out each time they’re arrested,” he lamented.
Nonetheless, he expressed worry that the state of affairs was getting to some extent the place the individuals would take the legislation into their very own palms.
“If the communities are fed up, they’ll battle again. There was a case just lately in a neighborhood in Zamfara State, the place bandits wished to abduct a bride, however had been repelled by the groom’s family members, who organised, attacked them, killed one in all them and took their weapons.
“They killed one of many bandits and others ran away; the groom’s family members collected their weapons and returned them to the closest navy checkpoint alongside Gusau Street.
“So, it’s steadily attending to that time the place individuals will start to react, with out ready for any safety agent,” he acknowledged.
“The place is the know-how of our navy? The place is the know-how of our safety brokers? Why can’t they use frequent drones to find these bandits and act decisively on them?
“You will notice the bandits exposing their machine weapons, and residing within the bush; which means that in lower than 10 minutes, the federal government can find the place they’re, however nothing is being accomplished about their actions.
“When the police or the navy get a misery name that one thing is occurring at a specific space, earlier than they get permission from the above, the bandits have completed with their operation and disappeared.
“Anytime you report on the police or navy checkpoint that one thing is occurring at a specific place, they’ll inform you that they should get permission from the highest and earlier than the highest permits them to behave, issues would have gone mistaken. That is what is occurring.
“The painful side of the entire thing is that younger navy officers are at all times being killed.
“Have a look at what occurred in Niger State just lately, the place six navy officers, together with a Captain, had been killed. The federal government ought to take decisive motion on this matter.
“Our navy males are at all times being killed; the police and the DSS personnel, together with the neighborhood individuals are being killed daily like animals. This isn’t good.
“The looks of these bandits merely signifies that the individuals know them and their hideout, so it’s time the federal government acted and stopped giving lame excuses about their invincibility,” he submitted.
