Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Henry Owen
In a bid to sustain ongoing peace efforts in Kaduna State, representatives of the nation’s security apparatus, alongside clerics from the Kaduna State Peace Committee, visited Birnin Gwari Local Government Area to continue dialogue with repentant bandits using a non-kinetic approach aimed at ending insecurity in the region.
According to security and counterinsurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the team visited Kuyello and surrounding communities on November 11, 2025, as part of continued peace engagements across the 1 Division area of operation.
The delegation was jointly led by representatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Islamic clerics from the Kaduna State Peace Committee, with participation from the 1 Division Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, and the Department of State Services (DSS). They arrived in Kuyello at 11:30 a.m. and held meetings with community stakeholders and repentant bandit leaders.
During the engagement, the committee chairman urged the repentant bandits to remain committed to the peace agreement, desist from attacks, kidnappings, and interfering with locals’ access to markets and farmlands, emphasizing that the peace initiative is built on mutual trust and community safety.
The team also addressed an unresolved local feud between vigilantes from Kompany village, Layin Dan Auta, and residents of Layin Dan Lasa village, reportedly under the control of bandit leader Kachalla Risku. The conflict originated from an October 16, 2025 incident at a mining site, where a Fulani local was killed and his weapon seized, sparking retaliatory attacks and kidnappings.
Bandit leader Risku agreed to release all kidnapped individuals and return a police rifle in his custody, though he requested the return of four motorcycles allegedly seized by locals during the October incident. Community leaders, including the Hakimi, confirmed that bandits had largely complied with the peace accord, attributing recent tensions to the refusal of some residents to adhere to the agreement.
The delegation also visited Rikau and Rima villages, meeting other bandit leaders, Kabiru and Dandukununu, who pledged to uphold the peace agreement. Palliatives were handed over to the bandits as confidence-building measures.
Several resolutions were achieved during the visit, including directives for the Birnin Gwari Local Government Council and Emirate Council to facilitate peace talks between the warring communities. Additionally, all kidnapped victims in Risku’s custody are to be released immediately, and the police rifle returned to security agencies.
The delegation returned safely to Kaduna at about 7:50 p.m., marking the mission as successful in preventing relapse into violence and consolidating gains from ongoing peace dialogues.
This engagement underscores the commitment of Kaduna State authorities and security agencies to leverage dialogue and community cooperation in tackling banditry and fostering lasting peace.
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