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A notorious bandits kingpin, Ado Allero, who was once central to peace dialogue efforts in the North West, has reportedly slaughtered a traditional ruler in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred around 4pm on Monday when bandits loyal to Allero stormed Keta village in Tsafe.
The attackers killed the Hakimi of Dogon Dawa, the community’s traditional ruler, before abducting 40 civilians from a mosque.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama confirmed the attack in a post on X, describing the assault as “brutal and unprovoked.”
He added that Allero’s group has intensified its reign of terror in recent days, killing four farmers in Barikin Daji, Ruwan Gizo, Zamfara State, and two Nigeria Customs Service officers in Fingilla village, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
Zagazola explained that bandits continued to terrorise communities across the North West, unleashing killings, kidnappings, and maiming of civilians, even as a widely publicized peace dialogue was underway in Faskari, Katsina State, aimed at ending the wave of banditry in the region.
While the peace talks were ongoing, bandits reportedly ambushed the convoy of the Commanding Officer of the 382 Army Regiment at the Ruwan Godiya crossing point along the Sheme–Kankara Road in Katsina.
The attack was, however, successfully repelled.
On the same day, troops of the 17 Brigade ambushed bandits near Gatawa village in Kankara Local Government Area, recovering a motorcycle and a mobile phone.
Later, the troops also repelled another attack in Sabon Massallaci village, Katera Ward of Kankara LGA.
The assailants then moved toward Gidan Dufe village, where they killed a woman, injured several others, and rustled livestock.
That same day, bandits ambushed personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at Dafa village along the Yantumaki–Danmusa Road, killing one officer and injuring four others.
In Zamfara State, the bandits abducted 12 residents of Godai village in Bukuyum LGA and kidnapped another four people in Tudun Moriki.
In Kebbi State, a separate armed group, identified as the Lakurawa gang, killed two Customs officers in Fingilla village, Dandi LGA. Meanwhile, four civilians were also shot dead while harvesting crops in Barikin Daji near Ruwan Gizo, Zamfara State.
However, the notorious bandit kingpin Ado Allero, who participated in the peace dialogue, had on Sunday expressed optimism that peace would soon be restored in Katsina, Zamfara, and other parts of the region.
He claimed that past disruptions of peace efforts, including the arrest of his son, forced him back into criminal activities.
Despite the much-touted “historic” and inclusive dialogue, attacks across the region have persisted, casting doubt on the credibility of the peace process.
