In a shocking turn of events, one of Nigeria’s most wanted bandit leaders has directly addressed the government’s security strategy – and he’s not holding back.
Kachalla Ummaru, a notorious bandit commander, spoke candidly over the weekend during peace talks in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
His message to the Nigerian Army and government? Military force alone won’t solve the country’s security problems.
The bandit leader made his controversial statements during discussions between various armed groups and community leaders.
A video of his remarks, shared by Observers Times on Sunday, has since gone viral across social media platforms.
Speaking in Hausa, Ummaru painted a grim picture of what he sees as a cycle of violence that only makes things worse.
“If today you kill 10 bandits, tomorrow you’ll see 20. You kill 20, another 30 will rise both in our bushes and villages,” he said matter-of-factly.
But Ummaru didn’t stop there. He went on to make some serious accusations against both local communities and security forces.
According to him, residents in Matazu aren’t as innocent as they claim. He alleged that locals regularly tip off security agencies about bandit movements and locations.
Even more provocatively, Ummaru questioned the military’s reported successes in anti-banditry operations.
“Even when they come to where we are, they don’t kill even a bird, but you’ll hear in the news that 10 bandits have been killed and they’ll be paid,” he claimed.
The bandit leader’s most damning accusation was aimed at the government’s motivations. He suggested that authorities are more focused on making money from the crisis than actually solving it.
