This Day
Ring True By Yemi Adebowale Phone 08054699539 Email: yemi.adebowale@thisdaylive.com
For those who have not been following the story, this first bit of information will be useful. Ali Kachalla is the leader of the main gang terrorising Zamfara State in particular and other parts of the North-west. He has been doing this for almost five years. This Fulani militia leader, based in Dansadau, has the blood of hundreds of innocent people on his hands. Kachalla enjoys a free rein in Zamfara State and beyond. He goes about, unhindered, killing, maiming and kidnapping for money. Everybody in the state knows Kachalla has his major camp in the notorious Kuyambana forest (Maru Local Government Area) from where attacks are launched on other parts of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina states. Security agents know this. Governor Bello Matawalle knows this. Unfortunately, concrete steps have not been taken to checkmate him. The military, Police and DSS pretend to be unaware of his location. Perhaps, they are waiting for “clear instructions” from President Muhammadu Buhari before moving against Kachalla.
This outlaw has an estimated 200 fighters stationed in the Kuyambana forest, all armed with AK-47. His armed men outnumber those of other terrorists in the North-west. Last month, Kachalla masterminded the downing of the fighter jet of the Nigerian Air Force near Kabaru village, about 15 kilometres west of Dansadau town. There were no repercussions. That tells you how powerful Kachalla has become. This terrorist, in his thirties, has become a law unto himself. Daily, he whips residents of Dansadau who dare to oppose or hinder his lawlessness. The people persistently send ransom to him. Recently, when some people in the community blocked supply of food to his troops, Kachalla captured and inflicted pain on them. The fear of Kachalla is palpable in Dansadau.
In an attack on the community on July 23, Kachalla killed four villagers, abducted scores and set ablaze a military armoured personnel vehicle in the community, while the soldiers fled. On that occasion, the villagers were punished for reporting his movement to security agents. Kachalla also punished them for allegedly assisting security personnel to rescue the pilot whose fighter jet was shot down.
Daily, Kachalla kills and kidnaps Hausa farmers in Dansadau. He has cornered hundreds of plots of land from these people and uses them for his own cattle rearing. Kachalla’s cattle graze with ease on this conquered land in Maru LG. A resident of Dansadau remarked: “Kachalla’s settlements, consisting of several strings of thatched huts, is on Birnin Gwari side of the river. But, his large herd of cattle, manned by his heavily armed boys, is based in Zamfara State. As I’m talking to you, his boys can be found in Dandalla, Madada and Gobirawa Kwacha communities. The villages are all situated southeast of Dansadau town. They are all controlled by his armed men.”
Right in Matawalle’s backyard is another notorious Fulani militia leader, Dogo Gide, who controls the southern part of the Zamfara forest and further into Niger State. Matawalle knows the whereabouts of Gide and his boys. All the security agents know this location; yet, the militias still launch attacks unhindered. Dogo Gide’s gang also operates in Kaduna State. This team is suspected to have recently killed 18 people, including a police officer, in five communities in Chawai chiefdom, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Another terror kingpin enjoying free rein in Zamfara State is Halilu Sububu. His men are based in the Sububu forest located between Shinkafi and Maradun local government Areas. From the forest, they launch attacks on travelers on Sokoto-Gusau Road as well as villages in Sokoto and Zamfara states.
Dungun Muazu forest located in the Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State is also home to hundreds of military-uniform-wearing terrorists who attack across the North-west. Here, there is no clear leader. Dogo Najaballah, who many thought was the leader of the bastards in Dungun Muazu forest, was killed few weeks back in a fight that broke out between his gang and a rival gang of bandits in the state over the marriage of a woman.
It is so painful watching these terrorists control territories, kill and maim citizens, in a country supposedly with a government. Many women have been widowed and children orphaned across the North-west by these guerrillas. Last Wednesday, the gang rampaging in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State abducted the father of the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Nasiru Muazu Magarya. They also kidnapped the Speaker’s stepmother, uncle and four others in a raid on his community, Magarya, Zurmi LGA.
I will never forget how the terrorists based in Kadawa Village, in the same Zurmi LGA, butchered 93 people early last June. Residents of this Zamfara State village are still mourning their loved ones killed. Within three days last April – 20 to 22 – 80 people were killed by the terrorists and counter killings by Yan Sakai who defend Hausa farmers, in series of attacks in four villages – Gobirawa, Rini, Gora, and Madoti Dankule – in Bakura and Maradun LGAs.
In Zamfara State, …
