A suspected bandit leader has publicly declared that, despite lacking formal education, members of his group are highly skilled in handling weapons, particularly the AK-47 rifle.
The statement was made during a gathering in Dutsenma Local Government Area of Katsina State.
In a video obtained by TheStar, the armed group leader, flanked by his followers, displayed a rifle while addressing the crowd, which cheered in response.
“We did not go to school and we are not educated, but even without schooling, we know how to operate an AK-47,” he said.
“Raising his weapon, he added, “While you gather books on your shelves, we have gathered AK-47 rifles.”
The bandit kingpin also criticized authorities for failing to honor agreements reached in prior dialogue efforts.
“If we make promises to you, we try to fulfil them. We expect you to do the same. This is one of our major concerns,” he stated.
He alleged that many of his group members are currently detained in several states, including Katsina, Kano, and even Abuja, with some not released despite ongoing negotiations.
“There is no state without our people in detention. Many of our men and women have been arrested, but when we ask for their release, nothing happens. These are our complaints to the Nigerian leaders,” he said.
The leader accused government representatives of engaging in dialogue without following through on agreements.
“Your leaders come to meet us and we agree on certain issues, but once they leave, they go back and sit comfortably in their ACs without fulfilling those promises,” he remarked, prompting laughter from the crowd.
He warned that continued neglect could lead fighters to withdraw from dialogue entirely.
“All the people you see here may disappear into the forest for months if we are not invited again for discussions. You may only find small children left behind,” he said.
Despite the criticism, the bandit leader expressed willingness to participate in future talks if prior agreements are respected.
“If you release our people, even if you call us to Katsina, we will come. We are not afraid to go anywhere, but we fear unfulfilled promises,” he concluded.
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