Bandits repenting and integrating with communities in Katsina have other plans. The plan of those the state government employ is even higher, as per crime.

Among the penitent souls Gov. Bello Masari has brought into his cabinet in the amnesty programme for repentant bandits are Abdullahi Mai-Rafi 43, Abbas Haruna alias Dogo-Abbas 34, , and Usman Hassan, (aka Manu) 50.

They were believed to have been working in the office of the special adviser on security, with all the pay and perks attached.

However, the police just discovered they were moonlighting.

At opportune time, armed with machetes and clubs, they slipped into banditry—cattle rustling, robbery, and namedropping.

The trio went to Danmarke forest, Ingawa LGA, with a motor vehicle – Toyota Camry, ash in colour, with registration number DE 631 LED—and attacked a herder, one Alhaji Gide Suleiman of Malumafashi LGA while grazing his animals, the state police spokesperson Gambo said.

“Threatened him and his boys that they were from the office of the Special Adviser on Security to His Excellency, with a false allegation that their brother, Ine Sa’idu had robbed one Lawal of his herds and that they should either produce the said Saidu or bring hundred (100) cows.”

They fought the herder, and succeeded in rustling 20 cows valued at N7.5m. They also searched and robbed the herder’s family of N40,000 and four GSM handsets.

The penitent bandits came the second time, attempting to stick up the same family. The police, already involved, moved in, and rounded them up.

“The gang leader, Abdullahi Mai-Rafi confessed to have conspired with the others and sold all the cows at Dankama market, Kaita LGA of the state. Two cows and N444,000 were recovered as exhibits from them.”