Suspected ISWAP fighters preach repentance to bandits, assure villagers of security

A band of armed men suspected to be a mix of Nigerians and foreigners are infiltrating the southern part of Dansadau emirate in Maru LGA of Zamfara, and villagers are worried.

Senator Saidu Dansadu representing the area said the communities suspect the armed men might be ISWAP, despite their preaching of repentance to the bandits.

According to the Daily Trust, the armed band first camped camped in a forest near Shinkafi.  They reached out to  a notorious bandits’ leader operating in Shinkafi axis about three months ago.

“Later, the armed group said the forest is not comfortable for them. They relocated to Kumyambana forest in Dansadau Emirate and began to carry out their activities there,” the senator told the newspaper.

“We believe the group consists of Nigerians and other foreign nationals and are making the bandits hibernating in the forest very scared and uncomfortable because bandits run away at the sight of the members of the armed group.”

He believed ISWAP is trying to get a foothold in Zamfara, and their tactics are about winning the heart and souls of the villagers first.

“They want get a credit of bringing back peace to the area so that they win the hearts of the highly traumatised locals there.

“In this situation, whoever is coming with a promise to stop attacks on communities will win the favour of people.”

He urged the military whom he admitted are pounding the bandits hard to double down on the ISWAP scouts.