Outlawed Yansakai Killing, Maiming Innocent People in Zamfara State – Findings
—Making state ungovernable
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The outlawed Yansakai Vigilante group set up by the immediate past government of Hon Abdulazeez Yari, are being alleged to have taken the laws into their hands by going on rampage, killing and maiming innocent villagers in Zamfara State.
Forefront News gathered that this was in spite of the fact that on assumption of office two years ago, Governor Bello Mattawalle-led administration proscribed the group and banned it from operating in Zamfara State.
However, the Yansakai group allegedly under the leadership of the State former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Hon Bello Dankande Gamji has remained adamant and causing mayhem and killing innocent people.
Gamji, who is under the investigation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside former Governor Yari over allegations of corruption and misappropriation of public funds running into billions of naira, award of fictitious contracts for personal enrichment.
It is also alleged that Hon Bello Dankande Gamji is suspected to be the brain behind all the nefarious activities of the outlawed vigilante Yansakai to divert the attention of members of the public on his corruption allegations charges.
During the tenure of the former Governor Yari, Gamji was alleged to have recruited 500 Yansakai across the 17 Emirates of Zamfara State without any Act of the State House of Assembly backing their operations and existence.
Information pieced together indicate that the outlawed group considered to be dangerous, is planning to attack some Fulani settlements with a view to trigger armed bandits to regroup and launch deadly attacks on the peaceful people in the villages.
The planned attack on Fulani settlements it was further gathered is aimed at mischievously blackmailing Governor Mattawalle administration and President Muhammad Buhari-led Federal government that they failed to provide security for the lives and property of the people of Zamfara State.
The issue of insecurity in Zamfara State which include armed banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping, killings and the setting of villages ablaze by armed bandits and criminals elements came into existence before the inception of the Mattawalle administration.
There is also an allegation of camping of Ansaru from Niger State and Boko Haram insurgents cited in some villages trying to collaborate with armed bandits to cause serious security crisis in Zamfara State ahead of 2023 elections.
It was gathered that the rampaging Yansakai Vigilante group had in the morning of June 19, 2021, attacked the Mashekarin Fulani settlement of Balgare village in Danmanau district in Gamji district of Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The rampaging Yansakai group in their hundreds on motorcycles, wielding dane guns, clubs, matchets and other weapons, from Dogon karfe forest axis, stormed the settlement searching for Fulani natives, during which four Fulani were confirmed killed while three others were seriously injured and are currently on admission at Bakura and Talata Mafara General hospitals.
Furthermore, it was gathered that more Yansakai group are sighted going back into Dogon karfe forest, as armed bandits are said regrouping as the possibility of a deadly clash cannot be ruled out.
