Feared bandit kingpin Kachalla Ummaru has cautioned the Nigerian Army and government against using force as the sole approach to tackling insecurity, insisting that military killings only fuel the cycle of violence.
Ummaru’s comments came during peace talks held over the weekend between bandit factions and community leaders in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
In a video that has since gone viral, shared by Observers Times on Facebook, Ummaru — speaking in Hausa — warned that every killing of a bandit only multiplies their numbers.
“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.
He accused the government of focusing on money rather than solving the crisis and alleged that residents escalate tensions by giving information to security operatives.
“You people (residents of Matazu LGA) are also part of the problem because you are fond of complaining to security operatives and giving them information.
“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 alleged.
Ummaru concluded that unless security forces are told to pull out from their hideouts, the ongoing dialogue will achieve nothing.
“If these security operatives won’t be told to leave us alone, then I don’t think these peace talks have any importance,” he declared.
