By Desire Emmanuel
The reported ‘peace deal’ between bandits and some communities in Katsina State seems to be threatened as residents have raised the alarm that some of the bandits have launched fresh attacks and abuses few days after the deal was sealed.
A competent source in the state told Impact Nigeria News Online on Sunday night that communities in Makera, Dogon Ruwa and several surrounding villages in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State are raising the alarm over renewed abuses and attacks despite an earlier peace deal brokered by local authorities.
It was gathered that those who were mostly worried were some farmers in those communities who said the bandits always take their cattle to graze on their farmlands, thereby destroying crops ready to be harvested.
Also, traders lamented that some of the bandits used to stop them on their way to markets, seizing their goods and collecting their money and other valuables.
The source said: “Residents say roaming cattle linked to the armed bandits have destroyed much of their farmlands, threatening their livelihoods.
“They also report ongoing harassment, including attacks on travellers in nearby forests, seizure of work tools without compensation and the enforcement of degrading rules on the communities.”
According to the source, community members are calling on the leaders who facilitated the peace agreement to intervene urgently, as they said the current situation is becoming unbearable and requires immediate action.
Katsina, like other states in the North-West part of the country, has been grappling with the activities of bandits and terrorists who invade communities, kill residents and take others away after which they demand for ransoms.
