Bandits, residents reach peace pact in Niger

Some communities in Niger State have entered a peace pact with bandits that have been terrorising their communities.

The community leader of Kusherki, in Rafi Local Government Area, Garba Kusherki, who made this revelation on Thursday, said a delegation has commenced talks with the bandits.

He said the bandits had earlier called for an agreement with the locals that they would not report them to constituted authorities each time they passed through their communities from the forests to other parts of the state to carry out their nefarious activities.

Kusherki also said that one of the demands from the bandits is that they should buy kola nuts that would be shared among their colleagues and friends to know that a peace pact had been signed with the victim communities.

He added that the bandits promised that peace would return to the communities if their demands are met.

Narrating how the peace pact was reached, kusherki said, “As God would have it, on Thursday, the bandits called us to tell us that they wanted a peace pact sealed. So we sent a delegation that went to meet with them in the forest very close to Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State. Our delegation was asked to stay at Maganda and they came to pick them

“In the end, they told us that we are the cause of the fight between them (bandits) and our communities. They said each time locals see them with cattle crossing their communities, they lay ambush and start attacking them. After all, the rustled cattle don’t belong to the locals and hence they did not see any reason why they should be attacked. So, they said they decided to get revenge.”