By their nature, the elements of banditry who have made both the North-Western and some parts of North-Central Nigeria war zones are dangerous, heartless and inhuman. They have not even a single iota of pity for the human life. And with their level of wickedness, it has become a question that begs for an answer if their Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist counterparts are really more dangerous than they are. It was in the light of this that Nigerians of all walks of life, and both within the country and the diaspora, had to mount pressure on the federal government (FG) to declare them terrorists like the foregoing two groups in order that they may be thoroughly tackled as well. This is why the judgement that was pasef by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja-based federal high court in which he eventually pronounced them so on the 26th of November was a commendable one....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The recently proscribed bandits, like every other normal association of people, also have leadership echelons, albeit they are scattered all around the forests where they operate from. Thus, they have overall leaders, their assistants and others. One of such so-called leaders was a certain Alhaji Goma Sama’ila who was reportedly captured on the night of Friday 24th of September in Kaduna State.
Before his arrest, the Alhaji bandit leader was said to be rated among the categories of the likes of Turji Kachalla, Halilu Sububu and the now late Dogo Gide as the most dreadful and wanted criminals in the country. That was because of their notoriety in their banditry activities in Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina States where they allegedly indulge in kidnapping, cattle rustling, armed robbery and destructions of lives and property.
However, in his confessions upon his apprehension, after admitting his culpability to the crimes, Sama’ila went on to plead for mercy, and that he would not go back to criminal ways if he should be forgiven. And according to him, he had said the truth because whoever said the truth is one in accord with Allah (God).