Leader of a Gusau gang of bandits and a vigilante volunteer group, popularly known as ‘Yansakai, fighting banditry in Gusau, Zamfara, have both agreed to lay down their arms and embrace peace for the good of residents of the state.
The occasion was at a stakeholders meeting with the Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was in the state on fact assessment on the protracted security challenge.
Leader of the bandits group, Sani Babandoka, acknowledged to have been terrorising the state for over 10 years now and the volunteer group waging war against banditry in the state agreed to drop their arms at the meeting attended by the speaker on Sunday in Gusau.
The two sides pledged to bring lasting peace throughout the state by stopping any act of criminality and promised henceforth to report any unwanted behaviour to security agencies.
The speaker while addressing the forum assured to collaborate with the state governor in providing lasting peace to the state.
Mr Gbajabiamila said poverty, unemployment and ignorance, among others, were the major factors responsible for the menace in the state and other parts of the country.
The actual assessment of problems guided the National Assembly on the policies to be made capable of restoring peace and security in the state and the country at large.
He said during 2020 budget deliberation, the House of Representatives would give emphasis to skills acquisition centres in the state to generate employment among the youths.
He commended the governor’s initiative of peace reconciliation as it is yielding positive results towards achieving relative peace and release of captives from bandits.
Also speaking at the event, Gov. Bello Matawalle thanked the speaker for the visit and assured to give him all the necessary information to have a clear understanding of the security issues bothering the state.
“My administration’s opted for dialogue and peace negotiations as the best considering the long time that it takes to war which does not yield success,” he said.
He also announced the released of three additional captives from the bandits.
NAN
