According to Premium Times, A notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has provided an insight into the origins of the armed banditry that has plagued Zamfara State in north-western Nigeria. In a five-minute video, Turji, armed and seated under a tree, recounted the history of the violence in response to a background voice prompting him to trace the genesis of the banditry in the region.
According to Turji, the Fulani community coexisted peacefully with their Hausa neighbors until a significant shift occurred under a former governor's administration. He alleged that the Bakura-led government introduced a partial implementation of Sharia Law, which he claims was biased against the Fulani community. This partial enforcement, Turji argued, was intended to subjugate the Fulani people, creating underlying tensions and resentment.
Turji further detailed the role of local vigilantes and militia groups known as Yan Sakai in escalating the conflict. He accused these groups of committing atrocities against the Fulani, with the government's tacit approval or outright indifference. He named DanKurman Galadima and Bala Maigora as key figures in the vigilante movement, alleging they led extrajudicial killings of herders across Zamfara State without facing any repercussions. This, according to Turji, significantly contributed to the Fulani community's grievances and their eventual turn to armed banditry as a means of self-defense and retaliation.
The narrative provided by Turji sheds light on the complex socio-political dynamics at play in Zamfara State, highlighting issues of ethnic tension, biased law enforcement, and the rise of self-defense groups that have spiraled into the current state of widespread violence and banditry. Understanding these roots is crucial for addressing the ongoing conflict and finding lasting solutions for peace in the region.
He said: “There was a man called DanKurman Galadima, with one Bala Maigora, who were the pioneer vigilante leaders that led the extra judicial killings of herders across Zamfara State with the government and the citizens watching them without making any decision.