A suspected bandit leader in Katsina State has admitted that members of his group lack formal education but are highly skilled in handling weapons, particularly AK-47 rifles.
The revelation came in a video shared by counter-insurgency analyst Zagazola Makama on X on Monday. In the footage, the leader is seen holding a rifle, surrounded by armed followers, as he addresses a cheering crowd in Dutsenma Local Government Area.
“We did not go to school and we are not educated, but even without schooling, we know how to operate an AK-47,” he declared. He went on to compare his group with educated citizens, saying: “While you gather books on your shelves, we have gathered AK-47 rifles, and the weapons are our education,” raising his rifle to the crowd’s applause.
The bandit leader also accused authorities of failing to keep agreements reached during previous dialogue efforts. He alleged that many of his members remain in detention across Katsina, Kano, and Abuja, despite promises of release.
“There is no state without our people in detention. Many of our men and women have been detained, but when we ask for their release, nothing happens,” he said.
He added that government representatives often meet them for talks but fail to implement agreed terms: “Your leaders come to meet us and we agree on certain issues, but once they leave, they go back and sit comfortably in air conditions without fulfilling those promises,” drawing laughter from the crowd.
Warning of potential consequences, the leader said his group could withdraw from dialogue if agreements continue to be ignored. “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 stated.
However, he maintained that they remain open to future negotiations, provided previous promises are honoured. “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 added.
Despite ongoing military and police operations in the state, the group has continued to carry out attacks, sometimes striking unopposed.
