Terrorists Break Peace Accord With Local Communities in North West Nigeria

Terrorists have violated the peace accord with seven communities in Zamfara state, North West Nigeria.

Barely a year after brokering peace with community heads, an armed group led by one Dankali stormed Yarmatankari community in Zamfara around 8:00 a.m. on October 22. They fired indiscriminately at residents and ransacked homes.

“The peace negotiation deal has expired,” he shouted in Hausa during the raid, locals told HumAngle. “No more peace for you! Everyone should vacate this place!”

Halidu Muhammad, the Yarmatnkar community head, said there was relative tranquillity in the past 10 months following the peace negotiation. “We faced no attack even from their fellow terror groups for a while,” Halidu said. “But today, we heard gun sounds knocking our ears everywhere in Yarmatankari and neighbouring villages. They were beating us like animals with their wooden sticks hung on their shoulders. They ransacked our houses and shops and stole our valuables, which ran into millions of naira.”

Hundreds of men, women, and children have, however, fled to neighbouring towns like Anka, Mayanchi, and Magami, following the terrorists’ orders. Jijji Dan’Auta, the gang leader believed to have orchestrated the violation of the peace accord, has spread fear across the affected communities. The terrorist leader visited the Yarmatankari village chief, reiterating their intent to back out from the peace accord, with no clear reason.

Other communities affected by the disruptions are Yarsabaya, Birnin-Doki Babba, Birnindoki Karama, Bagada, and Wuya villages in the Anka Local Government Area of the state. Dan’Auta has now issued a three-day ultimatum, demanding that residents leave or face brutal attacks. Farmers in the region, preparing for their major harvests, are particularly worried about the timing of the invasion.

Residents told HumAngle that it was not the first time the terrorists would violate their peace agreement, putting them in a difficult situation. About ten months ago, the terrorists forced the seven affected communities to pay the sum of ₦10 million as a protection levy. The villagers are uncertain how much the terrorists will demand to secure another peace deal.

Despite the fear, dozens of youths have vowed to fight to protect communities and farming lands from attacks. Aminu Leda, identified as the chairman of the community guards, said: “We are ready for them, the terrorists. We are fed up with their heinous attacks and levy, which we realise cannot buy us peace.”

“All we are pleading to the governments at all levels is to give us the armed soldiers and the community protection guards to work together, confront the criminals and hunt them down to the earth. We know the terrain and their (terrorists) locations across all hideouts,” he added.

When contacted, Yazid Abubakar, the Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara, told HumAngle that the command is doing its best to address the situation. Terrorists in these areas have increasingly targeted farmers and politicians in recent attacks.