In his quest to addressing the menace of banditry through dialogue and peace sermons, renown Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has met with over seven hundred bandits in Zamfara state.
The Islamic cleric says his mission to meet with criminals terrorising communities in Zamfara and neighboring states is begining to yield results.
He was in two bandit camps of Tubali and Makkai in Shinkafi Local government area of Zamfara state.
Bandit camps there have been under the exclusive control of armed Fulanis who are young teenagers between the ages of fourteen to sixteen while their leaders are between ages eighteen and thirty years.
Before arriving at the first camp in Tubali Forest, the Kaduna based Islamic preacher and his team covered three hundred metres on foot.
This was based on their agreement with the bandits not to use vehicles or come along with any security personnel to guarantee their safety and security.
Sources say some of the bandits allege marginalization to plights of the Fulani race as reason behind them embarking on banditry and kidnapping for ransom.
A top commander in the camp says part of their grievances include frequent killings of their loved ones by either security agents or local vigilante group in towns and cities without any cogent reason, failed promises by governments and acts of cattle rustling that deny most of them their legitimate means of livelihood.
They however express confidence in the sincerity of the peace dialogue initiated by Governor Bello Matawalle to address the lingering security challenges.
Sheikh Gumi says many of the bandits are frustrated, adding that ignorance and illiteracy has played a vital role in recruiting virtually all of them into banditry and kidnapping.
