A suspected bandit kingpin has publicly declared that members of his group lack formal education but possess proficiency in handling weapons, particularly the AK-47 rifle, while addressing a gathering in Dutsenma Local Government Area of Katsina State.
In a video shared by security expert Zagazola, the armed group leader was seen surrounded during dialogue, displaying a rifle as the crowd cheered.
The kingpin stated that although members of his group were not educated, they had mastered the use of AK-47 rifles.
He further compared their situation with that of educated individuals, noting that while others focused on acquiring education, his group had concentrated on acquiring weapons, as he raised his rifle before the cheering crowd.
He also accused authorities of failing to honour agreements reached during previous dialogue efforts.
The bandit leader said his group always tried to fulfil promises made during negotiations and expected the same commitment from authorities, describing the failure to do so as a major concern.
He claimed that members of his group were currently detained across several states, including Katsina, Kano and Abuja, alleging that many had been arrested without being released despite negotiations.
He further alleged that government representatives often engaged them in dialogue but failed to follow through on agreed terms after returning to their offices.
The kingpin warned that failure to sustain engagement could lead to the withdrawal of fighters from dialogue arrangements, noting that they could disappear into the forest for months if not invited for further discussions.
He, however, expressed willingness to honour future invitations for dialogue, provided previous agreements are respected, adding that his group was not afraid to appear anywhere if called upon but remained concerned about unfulfilled promises. NAN
