Zamfara State Police Commissioner, Barrister Usman Nagogo, has given an insight into the enormity of security challenge Nigeria is currently contending with, detailing how bandits from Niger Republic invade the nation to wreck havoc. The police chief is the one coordinating the Dialogue and Peace Initiative of the state government. He believes that the ongoing dialogue with bandits is gradually returning sanity and total peace back to the state after several years of insecurity. In this interview with MOHAMMED MUNIRAT NASIR in  Gusau, he spoke about the challenges and the reason for his adoption of dialogue, in place of brutal force, against the bandits.

 
As a police officer, you are trained to use force to combat evil. So what motivated you to decide to dialogue with bandits?

The impression you have that we are trained to use force is not correct. We police officers are civil police. We are subjected to civil procedure and processes in tackling issues because we intermingle with civil populace. Ours is to follow things in such a way that the use of force should not arise in the first place. We are to persuade, to lecture and, in some instances, to interact so that we influence issues, just like what we are doing in Zamfara.

How do you recognise a bandit to negotiate with because anybody can claim to be one just to take advantage of the situation?

Prior to this time in 2016, the immediate past administration set up a special committee on Disarmament and Amnesty. I chaired the committee as the then Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State Police Command. The committee succeeded to some extent, because we were able to build a trust between the government and the bandits. Channel of communications were opened and contact was made easy. The committee was able to recover different calibres of arms including rocket launcher. However, the committee has to wind up prematurely due to some reasons. In fact when I met with the most notorious bandit, ‘Buharin Daji’, I met him in his enclave in a place they call ‘Bokani forest.’ I was there. It took me about four hours to reach without having even a needle on me, because I believe he is a human being and I believe for you to advance you need to identify your target. When I got there, I was able to identify him and start negotiating. That opened my eyes to other bandits because a lot of bandits attended that gathering. That gave me an ample opportunity to recognise a lot of them and also to discover that they are humans like any other person and that they are not as dangerous as we see through their acts. The gathering also showed that they can easily be intermingled with and easily influenced, if you have the power of persuasion which I did have. So through that I was able to identify these bandits. When I came in as the Commissioner of Police, I had a lot of their names. I got their phone numbers. I built trust and confidence and that trust that I have built allowed me to have their direct contacts to interact with them and to have control over them.

What do you have to say about the objection particularly by top politicians that dialogue with bandits is not the way out?

When I came in June, the first shock I received six hours after I took over was about 34 people being killed in one of the villages in Shinkafi Local Government Area. So you can see the level of agony for a man who had just taken over, to have to contend with this kind of devastation. I have to sit down and think of what to do. That’s what led to the first press conference. In my first briefing, I promised that my stewardship will be that of engagement and interaction with all the stakeholders in the state in order to nip in the bud all forms of militia groups, armed banditry and other act of savagery in Zamfara State. I also stated that my priority would be community participation and interaction in achieving peace in the state. This is because, policing in the modern world, in this age of technology where the world has become a global village, community partnership and intelligence-led policing approach is more than necessary. I’ve got the support of the state government and the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu. So I am not bothered or distracted by anybody who thinks the use of dialogue is not the best. Whoever has contrary view, that is his own opinion and that opinion has not worked in the past but my dialogue and resolution has worked and is still working.

Are the stakeholders living up to expectation in the fight against crime?

The zeal and enthusiasm displayed by the governor of Zamfara State, Bello Mohammed, Matawalle Maradun, is very commendable because since he came on board, he has shown leadership by example. He has taken on anybody that matters in assisting him to achieve peace in Zamfara. To him, achieving lasting peace in the state is his cardinal principle in the first tenure. That gave me confidence. I briefed the governor on my plans about the use of dialogue which he said coincided with his plans. That’s why he gave me the nod. I appreciate the IGP Mohammed A. Adamu for having confidence in me in assigning this important assignment to me as the Police Commissioner of Zamfara State. I owe him a lot for continuing to guide every bit of my action in the state.

How were you able to bring the Yan Sakai and the Fulani together to embrace peace?

I started with the volunteer vigilante groups ‘Yan Sakai’ and all other militia groups associated with these groups. These are the people that are triggering the Fulani to go for a kill. You kill one Fulani and the Fulani kill the whole village and destroy the whole village through their reprisal attacks. The meeting with the leaders of Vigilante, Yansakai, and Civilian JTF drawn from all the 14 LGAs of the state had positive impact in the peace that followed. During the meeting, which you, journalists, witnessed, I took the initiative by using persuasion and, in some instances, threats, and it worked because as soon as they left the forum they allowed peace to reign in market places and other recreational areas where Fulani used to visit. I also invited all the cultural associations of the Fulani that comprised Miyetti Allah, Sarakunan Fulani and Ardos for a similar meeting and interaction which even some bandits attended. That meeting yielded same result as they ceased attacking. The Fulani after the meeting immediately held another meeting among themselves and came out with mini committees in different sectors to contact their kinsmen that engaged in banditry activities. The resultant effect of this was the stoppage of banditry activities by about 98 percent in the state. Finally, I called Yan Sakai, the Vigilantes, Civilian JTF, Miyetti Allah, Sarakunan Fulani and Ardos to a meeting at the same time, same venue in order to reconcile the warring factions. In this meeting, and in the interaction that followed, the Governor and all Security Council members in the state were in attendance. The meeting, no doubt, brought out tempers, grievances, and in some cases, insinuations by one group against the other. But at the end of the day, they all agreed that Zamfara State is at the receiving end of their egocentric tendencies. They then forgave and embraced each other. That was the magic. I felt the use of force is not feasible in this. The only thing left for us to use is dialogue. Dialogue is what is used all over the world. It is dialogue that is solving the problems in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is dialogue that is being applied in all war zones in all parts of the world. Dialogue is what leads to peace and I applied it and it worked.

How many people have so far been released from captivity by their abductors?

As at August 2, 2019, 303 people who were previously abducted in various parts of the state have been released by their abductors without them paying a kobo or we firing a single bullet. These 303 people do not include many others that were released by the kidnappers to go home without going to the government medical facilities. If you put together the number of those officially received by us and those who did not report to us the figures are astronomical. The 303 victims are those we documented as being treated by government in heath facilities since the release of the kidnapped victims began on 4th July. We are still expecting many more to be released.

Don’t you think there is foreign connection regarding the banditry in the state?

Banditry in almost in all parts of West African sub-region, I can say, is interwoven. Those perpetrating the evils are everywhere in the West African sub-region, so, naturally the influence of foreigners will not be ruled out. Even the bandits we interact with, some of them told us that there are some of them who came from Niger Republic who also participate in these activities. So the influence is always there. They have that cooperation to come to Nigeria to attack and also have another cooperation to go to Niger Republic to attack. So the influence of foreign elements is there in the crisis.

Apart from negotiating with bandits, what are you doing to curb crimes and criminality in Zamfara State?

We have put a very good structure on ground to tackle crimes not only in Gusau but in the entire state. We are making some in-roads; in fact, a lot of arrest has been made. One of the arrests we made was the kingpin who was supplying drugs to the bandits. That shows that we are not only concentrating our attention on negotiation but also vigorously fighting all forms of crimes in the state.  As we are here, we also spread our dragnet to other sections. We are able to make some arrests in Niger State which led to the recovery of over 281 cows and arrest of three suspects who have been charged to court for prosecution. So our concern is not only bandits. We have not neglected the urban areas as testified by the one we had. The chairman of Miyetti Allah in the state said people can now sleep with their eyes closed because we have put good security architecture in place in the state.

In all these, what can you say is the greatest lesson you have learnt?

The greatest lesson I have learnt is that as a leader, you select the right type of person at the right time. Always take advantage of vintage position given to you to bring desired result to end crisis.

Source: https://www.sunnewsonline.com/how-bandits-from-niger-republic-invade-nigeria-to-wreak-havoc/

This should no longer be a police issue, what is the defense ministry and NIA doing about it ?

Who invited them in the first place?

Buhari.... For the ongoing Fulani Revolution

They are arresting Sowore, and others who took part in the non-violent Revolution Now protest.

CC; geoafrikana

You were looking for a police report, there you have it

blujoi:
CC; geoafrikana

You were looking for a police report, there you have it

There's no specific mention of fulani as kidnappers. He mentioned that banditry is spread across different parts of west Africa and specifically some people from Niger enter Nigeria.

How does that imply that fulanis are all kidnappers? Except you want to tell me that Niger is 109% fulani or even majority.

In summary, this isn't a proof, in honesty.

Waiting in anticipation

GeoAfrikana:


I'll read it. Anticipate my feedback.

"You kill one Fulani and the Fulani kill the whole village and destroy the whole village through their reprisal attacks."

This is the problem of these people, instead of them to come after the individual that committed the crime, they will come for everyone

blujoi:
CC; geoafrikana

You were looking for a police report, there you have it

GeoAfrikana:


There's no specific mention of fulani as kidnappers. He mentioned that banditry is spread across different parts of west Africa and specifically some people from Niger enter Nigeria.

How does that imply that fulanis are all kidnappers? Except you want to tell me that Niger is 109% fulani or even majority.

In summary, this isn't a proof, in honesty.

I'll interject in your debate since I have proof that's sufficient. Yes the bandits do kidnap, kill, plunder among other crimes and they're mostly fulani. Zamfara also pardon 100 Fulani bandits the other day btw.

But since the assumption of Governor Bello Matawalle in office, the bandits had been surrendering their arms and releasing their captives after the government engaged the hoodlums in a dialogue.

On Sunday, Matawalle in Abuja, said the bandits had freed 300 people they kidnapped.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran, said the government decided to employ the repentant bandits and empower some of their illiterate members because they had embraced peace.

He said most of the bandits were Fulani.
Source

You are the funniest hypocrite ever!! Continue to wallow in your delusions!!

GeoAfrikana:


There's no specific mention of fulani as kidnappers. He mentioned that banditry is spread across different parts of west Africa and specifically some people from Niger enter Nigeria.

How does that imply that fulanis are all kidnappers? Except you want to tell me that Niger is 109% fulani or even majority.

In summary, this isn't a proof, in honesty.

Thank you for the highlights, but I know that clown will still turn a blind eye to it

Blue3k2:



I'll interject in your debate since I have proof that's sufficient. Yes the bandits do kidnap, kill, plunder among other crimes and they're mostly fulani. Zamfara also pardon 100 Fulani bandits the other day btw.

What about their highly placed collaborators and informants. Two traditional rulers were recently deposed by the state govt.

It’s quite unfortunate that Nigerians are insensitive, Buhari is not innocent in the insecurity innNigeria i have closely monitored and studied Buhari and his brother the Nigerien president. I can however confidently say that Buhari is not innocent in the insecure condition of Nigeria all to help his brother ‘The President of Niger’ sneak some of relatives into our security system for money making purpose

blujoi:
You are the funniest hypocrite ever!! Continue to wallow in your delusions!!

Anyone who doesn't follow your line of thought is a hypocrite?

Do you expect anyone to follow you dogmatically? If yes then sorry to disappoint you but dogmatism remains a no-no. And you've even stopped low to start calling people funny names.

And please don't mention me again. I only engage only on healthy intellectual discussions not hate and dogmatic ones.

Hate you say? You don’t know what you are saying. It’s only a hypocrite that sees white and calls it black. You say you want to have an intellectual discussion and you can’t do a google search of reported kidnap cases where the victims identified their captors. An intellectual discussion that will see an article where a police boss discusses the kidnap issue and mentions instances and you decide to ignore the obvious.

I have lived the better part of my years in the north, I still have northern friends till date and I still go to the north, I am not one of those tribalists that litter this forum, heck I even speak Hausa. But for you to come here to intellectually try to sway an argument with a lot of bias is just lame and that’s why I called you out.

I do not expect you to agree or follow my line of thought 100%, but quit acting like an ostrich.

GeoAfrikana:


Anyone who doesn't follow your line of thought is a hypocrite?

Do you expect anyone to follow you dogmatically? If yes then sorry to disappoint you but dogmatism remains a no-no. And you've even stopped low to start calling people funny names.

And please don't mention me again. I only engage only on healthy intellectual discussions not hate and dogmatic ones.

Essential services have all but collapsed. Thats what you get with nepotism