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EXCLUSIVE: Fulanis decry injustice in North West, seek end to violence in Zamfara as top bandits weigh surrender

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EXCLUSIVE: Fulanis decry injustice in North West, seek end to violence in Zamfara as top bandits weigh surrender

By Zagazola Makama

In the heart of Zamfara’s conflict-weary forests, a growing chorus of Fulani herders and leaders is calling for an end to violence not with weapons, but through dialogue and justice. They say they are ready to embrace peace, if government addresses long-standing grievances that have festered into bloody confrontations.

For over a decade, northwestern Nigeria has been plagued by banditry, livestock rustling, mass abductions and retaliatory attacks that have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced. But in a rare show of willingness, Fulani stakeholders at a recent meeting in Gusau expressed readiness to renounce violence if treated with fairness.

The sensitisation forum, hosted on May 4 by the Commander of 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, brought together Fulani leaders under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), alongside top security officials, including representatives of the State Director of Security and the Commissioner of Police.

Fulani leaders from all 14 local government areas of Zamfara attended the meeting, where they poured out their grievances — some dating back years — and appealed for genuine government intervention.

“We are not all bandits,” Fulani leaders insist

“I have lost over 150 cows to Yansakai, yet I have never carried a weapon or joined any group,” said Mallam Salisu Umar, a herder from Maru LGA. “But every time they see a Fulani man, they see a bandit. Is that fair? Is that justice?”

Another herder, Muhammadu Sale, alleged that just last Friday, vigilantes stole about 300 livestock belonging to a law-abiding Fulani man. “They never took the animals to the committee on recovery of livestock — they sold them in the market in connivance with some local security actors,” he said. “In Rijiya, Gusau LGA, another 370 livestock were stolen and diverted.”

The Yansakai vigilante groups, originally formed to protect communities, were accused of indiscriminate violence against Fulani settlements, burning homes, killing unarmed civilians, and rustling cattle under the guise of fighting banditry.

According to Mallam Haruna Dogo from Anka LGA, the situation has become so dire that Fulani children cannot attend schools in Hausa-dominated communities. “The hatred has grown so deep that our children are denied access to education and basic amenities. We are being cut off from society,” he lamented.

Several speakers at the forum said Fulani herders were being profiled, attacked, and even executed without trial. “In some cases, a Fulani youth is captured, beaten until he confesses to being a bandit, and then killed. If anyone dares retrieve his corpse, they are accused of being an accomplice,” said one leader.

Another Fulani elder said he had not travelled in a vehicle for four years out of fear, noting that the meeting in Gusau marked his first time stepping out in days. “Thousands of Fulani families are hiding in the bush, living in fear. Their only crime is being Fulani — and because of a few criminals among us, the whole society sees us as enemies.”

“Our cows are stolen, and security agencies look the other way”

One of the most serious allegations raised at the forum was the alleged collaboration between rogue security personnel and vigilante groups.
“They recover our cows and sell them,” alleged Alhaji Musa Bature from Tsafe. “We sometimes find the stolen animals in open markets. When we report to police, nothing is done. Security agents are benefitting from these crimes.”

He said this cycle of dispossession and injustice was pushing many Fulani youths into banditry.

“Even when we warn them, they say they have no choice. Food is scarce. A mudu of rice is nearly N10,000. Slippers cost N5,000 because of the risks traders face. This desperation leads them into evil acts like kidnapping.”

Umar Jega from Bakura LGA said his entire village was razed by Yansakai last year. “We lost everything. No one was held accountable. We are treated like people without rights.”
Many Fulani leaders at the forum blamed systemic injustice for driving youth into militancy.

Hope from within: top bandits open to surrender

In a potentially game-changing development, several notorious bandit leaders, including Saidu Naeka, Jimmi Smally and Kabiru Yankusa, have indicated willingness to surrender arms on the condition of safety and reintegration. Even Notorious bandits leaders like Bello Truji and Alhaji Nashama have were also part of those who agrees to key into the ongoing non-kinetic efforts.

There are some Fulanis who see the approach as a ploy to arrest them while others think it was politically motivated to manipulation manipulate them. Also, bandits kingpins like Ado Alero and Madele showed interest initially, by sending their representatives to attend the meeting.

“These men are tired,” said a source familiar with the dialogue. “They want peace, but they need assurance they won’t be killed or humiliated. Some of them have also lost loved ones in the cycle of violence.”

Sources said the bandit leaders had already begun patrolling parts of Sokoto Road to deter attacks. “Just last week, they eliminated two bandits who attempted to block the road.”

Following the meeting, more than 100 kidnap victims were released in separate operations in Moriki and Kango Forest. Some victims were handed over directly to the military, while others were rescued by vigilantes and handed over to troops. “We were told we were being released because their leaders now want peace,” said Rabiatu Halliru, one of the freed captives.
Another victim, who spent five months in captivity, said: “It was a miracle. We didn’t pay any ransom. They told us they had made a promise to release us and they kept it.”

The non-kinetic approach initially brought relative calm in the Anka general area, until when some hybrid forces brought in from the North East attacked and beheaded an innocent Fulani boy and cut off some part of his body, roasted it and eat it, that’s when tensions grew again. Another Fulani woman was killed by the Yansakai when she went to the Market, with the accusation that she was linked with bandits.

Fulani leaders propose roadmap to peace

To consolidate peace, Fulani leaders proposed a number of initiatives, including: disbanding or properly regulating the Yansakai vigilantes who were neither employed or recognized by the government. They also want government to reconsider reopening of their cattle markets and herders’ movement corridors.

The Fulani elder also demanded that they want schools, boreholes, and health centres to be constructed in Fulani communities, while insisting on equal treatment of offenders, regardless of ethnicity because they said there are two types of banditry, the one perpetrated by the criminal bandits amongst them and the one perpetrated by Yansakai along with some rogue security personnel.

They proposed direct engagement between MACBAN and bandit leaders to facilitate further releases and end attacks on farmers, nothing that If such opportunity is wasted, more lives will be lost,” warned Mallam Abubakar Sani from Zurmi.

“We are tired. Our children are tired. Let this be the beginning of the end.”he said.

Alhaji Bello Maiturare, MACBAN Chairman in Zamfara, pledged to lead the dialogue with bandits. “We’ve spoken to some of them. They are listening because of this meeting. If the government keeps its word, we will bring more people out of the bush.”

“Most bandits are not sincere” – Theatre Commander

However, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation FANSAN YANMA, Maj.-Gen. Oluyinka Soyele, expressed caution.

“Most of the bandits are not sincere. Even after promising to stop attacks, they continue killing and kidnapping people,” he said.

Soyele reiterated that Governor Dauda Lawal and the Government, through the Operation Safe Corridor initiative, had consistently said that only genuinely repentant bandits who renounce violence would be accepted.

“If they are serious and send emissaries to declare their readiness to stop, why not? We are not happy fighting our own people whether Hausa or Fulani , they are Nigerians.”

“But let me tell you what usually happens: when they feel the heat from military operations, they offer to surrender. Once the pressure eases, they regroup, rearm and return to terrorism.”

On the issue of Yansakai, Soyele said: “No one owns up to forming it, but everyone agrees it was created by the Hausa community to protect themselves from cattle rustling. If attacks stop from one side, we can contain the other. But the key is sincerity.”

“Even today, they attacked Maru. We still hear of pockets of attacks here and there by Dan Sadiya. So where is the sincerity?” the Theatre Commander Insist.

Special Appeal to the Defence Headquarters, National Security Adviser, National Counter Terrorism Centre, and DSS: A Call for a Unified, Sustainable Approach to Ending Banditry and Restoring Peace in the North West

However, Zagazola Makama, noted that as Nigeria marks over 15 years of protracted violence and insecurity in the North West, it is time to acknowledge a hard but essential truth: the military alone cannot end banditry.

“What we face is no longer a purely kinetic conflict; it is a complex socio-security crisis that demands a whole-of-society approach, one that combines force with dialogue, justice with reconciliation, and tactical operations with strategic engagement.

“We commend the Defence Headquarters and the intelligence community for the consistent pressure mounted on bandits across Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Niger States. We also acknowledge the courageous efforts of security forces on the frontline.

However, it is time to complement those military operations with non-kinetic solutions that address the root causes of the violence, as recently demonstrated in Katsina, Kaduna, and Benue States, where targeted engagement with bandit leaders and conflict stakeholders has begun to yield positive results.

“Let us be candid: the pattern of violence across the North West, North Central, and even parts of the North East suggests that the same networks of armed bandits are interlinked from Zamfara and Katsina to Benue, Plateau, and Taraba.

Their grievances of the Fulani people are strikingly similar ranging from extrajudicial killings by vigilantes (Yan Sakai), loss of livelihoods, lack of inclusion in governance, to ethnic profiling. While these do not justify actions of some criminals amongst them, they point to the urgent need for political, social, and security reintegration mechanisms.

A tragic illustration of this is the recent escalation in Birnin Magaji LGA, Zamfara State, where 25 communities have been banned from accessing their farmlands by a notorious kingpin, Alhaji Nashama. According to local sources, Nashama had earlier promised to protect these communities from rival bandit groups. However, following the alleged killing of two of his relatives, Babuga and Usman whom he claimed were innocent by Yan Sakai operatives, he imposed a violent embargo on farming activities in the area, vowing to kill anyone seen in the fields.

This is not an isolated case. It reflects the fragile trust deficit between rural communities, vigilantes, and armed groups, and point to why pure military responses cannot sustainably resolve this crisis. If we are to prevent further reprisals and displacements, we must take bold steps to re-establish dialogue channels, backed by the intelligence and verification strength of the DSS, the National Counter Terrorism Centre, and community leaders.

We therefore urge the Federal Government to seize this opportunity to chart a new strategy for lasting peace in the Country. The success of community dialogue efforts in places like Katsina and Kaduna, proves that where there is political will and strategic coordination, peace is possible. The time has come to act not just with force, but with foresight.

Nigeria deserves peace. The people of Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Benue, and Plateau deserve to farm, trade, and live without fear. Let us give peace a chance decisively and deliberately.

Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region

EXCLUSIVE: Fulanis decry injustice in North West, seek end to violence in Zamfara as top bandits weigh surrender

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INEC Proposes Democratic Freedoms Compact to Safeguard 2027 Elections

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2 hours ago

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November 11, 2026

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INEC Proposes Democratic Freedoms Compact to Safeguard 2027 Elections

…NHRC warns of political intimidation, arbitrary arrests, hate speech; EU pledges support for protection of civic space

By: Michael Mike

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a Democratic Freedoms Compact to safeguard fundamental human rights, protect civic space and strengthen public confidence ahead of the 2027 general election.

The proposed compact is designed to guarantee freedom of expression, association and political participation, promote inclusiveness, ensure electoral transparency and accountability, and prevent violence, intimidation and other human rights violations throughout the electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, unveiled the proposal in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by Dr Hassan Umar at the 2026 Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders Forum on the State of Human Rights in Abuja on Wednesday.

The forum, organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with the European Union (EU), was themed, “Protecting Human Rights in Civic and Political Spaces in the 2027 Elections.”

Amupitan said the credibility of the 2027 elections would be determined not only by the conduct of voting and collation of results but also by the extent to which Nigerians could freely express their opinions, associate, campaign and participate in the political process without fear, discrimination or violence.

He warned that regular elections alone could not sustain democracy if citizens were denied the freedom to express dissenting views, organise, criticise government policies and hold public institutions accountable.

To address these concerns, the INEC chairman said the proposed compact would establish a framework for institutional conduct built around six critical commitments: protection of fundamental freedoms, inclusive participation, transparent elections, accountability for human rights violations, peaceful political competition and constructive engagement among stakeholders.

He called for stronger collaboration among INEC, the NHRC, security agencies, civil society organisations and the media to monitor, document and respond to violations before, during and after the elections.

Amupitan reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting credible elections, ensuring equal treatment of political parties and candidates, strengthening transparency and promoting inclusive participation.

On the contentious issue of electronic transmission of election results, he maintained that the Electoral Act 2026 provided for electronic transmission, while INEC had developed guidelines to address possible technical and communication challenges.

He urged political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the commission’s guidelines and regulations to avoid misinterpretation of the procedures governing result transmission.

The INEC chairman also placed responsibility on security agencies to protect voters, candidates, election officials, observers and journalists, insisting that security personnel must operate professionally and impartially.

He said their presence at polling units and other electoral locations should reassure citizens and create a safe environment for participation rather than generate fear or intimidation.

Earlier, Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Anthony Ojukwu, warned that Nigeria’s democratic space was facing mounting challenges that required urgent intervention as the country approached the 2027 general election.

Ojukwu identified political intimidation, arbitrary arrests, harassment of journalists and human rights defenders, hate speech, restrictions on civic participation and the exclusion of vulnerable groups as threats capable of undermining the credibility of the electoral process.

He said the commission convened the forum at a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to follow on February 6.

According to him, the timing was particularly significant because political campaigns were already gathering momentum across the country, making the protection of civic and political freedoms increasingly urgent.

He stressed that democracy was not sustained by elections alone but by the freedom citizens enjoyed between elections to speak without fear, assemble peacefully, associate without obstruction and choose their leaders without intimidation.

Citing Sections 14, 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Ojukwu said sovereignty belonged to the Nigerian people, while constitutional guarantees protected freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

He also referenced the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees citizens the right to participate freely in the governance of their country.

The NHRC boss expressed concern that civil society organisations, journalists and human rights defenders continued to operate in an increasingly difficult environment characterised by harassment, arbitrary arrests and the potential misuse of laws, including provisions of the Cybercrimes Act.

He further raised concerns over political and voter intimidation, exclusionary nomination fees that could prevent women, young people and persons with disabilities from contesting elections, hate speech, incitement and the apparent absence of accountability for electoral offences.

Ojukwu warned that failure to prosecute electoral offenders could encourage impunity and embolden perpetrators to undermine the electoral process.

He disclosed that the commission had established a comprehensive human rights monitoring architecture to track political developments and election-related violations as campaigns intensified.

The mechanisms include a Human Rights Situation Dashboard, a human rights advisory and an Election Situation Room designed to monitor intimidation, suppression of political participation, harassment of journalists and other oversight actors, as well as violations of fundamental freedoms.

He said the commission was finalising an advisory on protecting political space and the right to participation in Nigeria, describing it as a flagship contribution to strengthening human rights protection during the forthcoming elections.

The advisory follows earlier interventions by the commission, including its February 2025 advisory on the protection of freedom of expression, which raised concerns about the interpretation and possible misuse of the Cybercrimes Act.

Ojukwu also disclosed that the commission was documenting violations, preparing cases for investigation and engaging INEC, security agencies, the National Peace Committee and other relevant institutions to strengthen accountability.

He said the NHRC’s Election Situation Room would remain operational throughout the electoral period, while election-focused dashboards and bulletins would be published regularly to provide information on human rights developments.

The commission, he added, would deploy monitors to identified hotspots and establish legal aid partnerships to respond to violations during and after the elections.

He announced that the forum would be transformed into a structured platform for sustained engagement between the commission and civil society organisations, with quarterly meetings, early-warning information sharing and rapid-response mechanisms.

According to him, the arrangement would facilitate coordination between the NHRC’s Situation Room and the Civil Society Election Situation Room, strengthen protection for individuals targeted for exercising their rights and ensure that stakeholders are held accountable for their commitments.

He said the forum would also adopt an outcome statement containing recommendations and a roadmap to guide its activities before, during and after the 2027 elections.

Ojukwu urged civil society organisations and human rights defenders to take ownership of the proposed framework, stressing that they were not spectators in the electoral process but essential partners in defending democracy.

He also acknowledged legislative efforts to strengthen the commission’s mandate and improve the legal protection of human rights defenders, expressing optimism that the reforms would create a more enabling environment for their work.

The NHRC executive secretary maintained that election-related violations must attract consequences, warning that the absence of accountability would weaken public confidence and encourage further abuses.

He said: “When elections go without violence, it is because of the work done long before polling day. Work that is sometimes invisible to the public.”

He added that the protection of democracy required collective responsibility and sustained commitment from government institutions, political parties, security agencies, civil society and international partners.

Also speaking, the EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic institutions and protecting civic and political freedoms ahead of the 2027 general election.

Mignot described the forum’s theme as timely, particularly against the backdrop of reports of election-related violence, hate speech, political intimidation and restrictions on citizens’ fundamental rights.

He warned that such incidents could erode public trust in state institutions and discourage citizens from participating in the electoral process.

The ambassador said free civic and political spaces, including independent media, peaceful assemblies, public forums and civil society organisations, were essential to ensuring credible, transparent and inclusive elections.

According to him, these spaces enable citizens to access information, debate public issues, scrutinise candidates and hold elected leaders and public institutions accountable without fear of censorship or retaliation.

He added that an open civic environment also allowed civil society organisations and active citizens to monitor election administration, track campaign promises and challenge government interference in the democratic process.

Mignot said weakening these safeguards could undermine citizens’ right to meaningful political participation and create opportunities for the suppression of opposition voices and manipulation of democratic rules.

He therefore urged all Nigerian stakeholders, including government institutions, political parties, civil society organisations and the media, to play their respective roles in ensuring a free, fair and credible electoral process.

The EU ambassador disclosed that the partnership with the NHRC had continued since 2024, when the first joint engagement provided a platform for human rights defenders to assess the state of human rights in Nigeria and develop collective responses to challenges confronting them.

He said the second engagement, held as part of activities marking the NHRC’s 30th anniversary, focused on reviewing the country’s human rights record over three decades and identifying emerging challenges requiring sustained intervention.

Mignot described the current forum as a continuation of the strategic partnership, adding that the EU was also preparing a new project with additional funding to deepen its collaboration with the commission.

He pledged that the EU delegation would carefully examine the recommendations and roadmap emerging from the forum and share them with its authorities and member states for further consideration.

He assured Nigeria that the EU and its member states would remain reliable partners in supporting democracy, good governance and the protection of human rights during what he described as a crucial period for the country’s democratic development.

In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yusuf Dantale, Prince Chinedu Obi urged political parties and their supporters to embrace issue-based campaigns, political tolerance and responsible communication.

IPAC cautioned against electoral violence, hate speech, voter suppression and political intimidation, stressing that political opponents must be regarded as competitors rather than enemies.

The council also advocated greater inclusion of women, young people and persons with disabilities in the electoral process, while urging security agencies and other relevant institutions to discharge their responsibilities with professionalism and impartiality.

Dantale said public confidence in the electoral system would ultimately depend on whether institutions could guarantee that votes counted and that Nigerians were able to exercise their democratic rights freely.

The forum brought together representatives of government institutions, diplomatic missions, political parties, civil society organisations, the media and human rights groups to assess the state of human rights in Nigeria and develop practical strategies for protecting civic and political freedoms ahead of the 2027 general election.

INEC Proposes Democratic Freedoms Compact to Safeguard 2027 Elections

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Chad: 23 Soldiers Killed, Including Company Commander, in Fierce Fighting Over Tibesti Gold Mines

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November 11, 2026

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Chad: 23 Soldiers Killed, Including Company Commander, in Fierce Fighting Over Tibesti Gold Mines

By: Zagazola Makama

At least 23 soldiers of Chad’s elite Directorate-General of Special Services and Special Institutions (DGSSIE) have reportedly been killed in fierce fighting in Arkinya, in the Tibesti region, as clashes over control of gold mining areas intensify.

The fighting, which reportedly occurred on November 10, also left about 10 other soldiers injured, including several said to be in critical condition and requiring evacuation to Faya, according to a report by TchadOne, citing military sources.

Among those reportedly killed was a commander of the Command, Support and Assistance Company (COM/CCAS) attached to a DGSSIE regiment, indicating the severity of the confrontation.

The latest casualties underscore the growing human cost of the struggle for control of mineral-rich territories in northern Chad, where gold mining has increasingly become intertwined with armed conflict, military operations and competing economic interests.

According to sources the Chadian military has suffered hundreds of casualties, including dead and wounded personnel, since the beginning of the campaign to control gold-rich areas in Tibesti.
The report described the confrontation as a deadly conflict linked to the mining interests of the administration of President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, popularly known as Mahamat Kaka.

Tibesti, a vast and strategically sensitive region bordering Libya and Niger, has long been associated with gold mining, informal commercial networks and armed groups competing for influence over mineral-rich territories.

The region’s difficult terrain, remote settlements and porous borders have also complicated government efforts to establish effective security and administrative control.

The latest fighting raises fresh questions about the militarisation of mineral extraction in the Sahel, where gold has increasingly become both an economic lifeline and a source of violent competition.
Across Chad, Niger, Mali, Sudan and parts of northern Nigeria, the struggle over mineral resources has created overlapping interests involving armed groups, criminal networks, informal miners and state-linked economic actors.

The reported deaths in Arkinya further illustrate how mineral wealth, instead of generating prosperity for communities, can become a catalyst for prolonged military confrontation.

Chad: 23 Soldiers Killed, Including Company Commander, in Fierce Fighting Over Tibesti Gold Mines

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Notorious bandit leader Kachalla Bello reportedly killed in rival gang clash in Katsina

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November 11, 2026

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Notorious bandit leader Kachalla Bello reportedly killed in rival gang clash in Katsina

By: Zagazola Makama

A notorious bandit leader identified as Kachalla Bello has reportedly been killed during a gunfight between rival armed groups in a forest around Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Local sources said the incident occurred on Tuesday evening, Nov. 10, when rival bandit factions engaged in a fierce exchange of gunfire in the forest.

Kachalla Bello was reportedly among those killed during the confrontation, although details surrounding the circumstances of his death remain sketchy.

The bandit leader was accused of terrorising farming communities through kidnappings and forced labour.

According to local sources, Bello specialised in abducting residents from their farmlands and compelling them to work on his farm before eventually releasing them.

His reported death is expected to bring relief to communities that have endured years of intimidation and criminal activities attributed to his group.

However, the circumstances surrounding the reported killing have yet to be independently confirmed by security authorities.

The incident also illustrates the persistent rivalries among armed groups operating in parts of Katsina State, where clashes over territory, resources and criminal operations have occasionally resulted in deadly confrontations.

Notorious bandit leader Kachalla Bello reportedly killed in rival gang clash in Katsina

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