Scarcely two weeks after a bandit group led by Dogo Gede shot down a Military Helicopter on an evacuation mission in Kusasu Village in Shriroro local government area of Niger state, not less than eight communities in the area have submitted themselves to the leadership of the bandits warlord, pledging their loyalty and allegiance to the group.
Dogo Gede and his group has continued to operate with impunity for the past years in the locality particularly in Kusasu, Kwaki, Chukuba, Gulana, Apai, Nakuna, Yanka and Kurebe where the locals have surrendered to their leadership.
A source close to these Communities disclosed that over 1,000 inhabitants of these communities contributed food items last week to celebrate with the warlord the successful shutting down of the helicopter without any major reaction from the authorities.
The source further revealed that “they now address him as Governor.”
Noting that the decision of the people to accept Dogo Gede as their leader was informed by the fact that despite the killing of the soldiers and shutting down of the helicopter by the Bandits, the government did not take any decisive step towards the bandits, the source also remarked that “the only way for them is to submit themselves and the group because it appears that there is nothing anybody can do about the situation”.
The Sun further gathered that the recent pronouncement by the state governor, Rt. Hon. Umar Mohammed Bago that he was contemplating dialogue with the Bandits instead of sticking to his campaign promise of going all out against the criminals further demoralized the people who then concluded that the only way for them to have peace and go about with their farming is to submit to Dogo Gede and his group.
“As I speak with you, the people are planning to give a title and made Dogo Gede their king in these communities. At the moment they refer to him as their governor because since the Bandits have been operating in the area for the past eight years and killing the people, no governor of the state or any political leader has visited them.
“These people have lost hope in their leaders and they believe that nobody can rescue them from the hands of these Bandits and restore peace in these communities. So you don’t blame them for pledging loyalty and allegiance to the warlord and his group if that is the only way they can have peace and embark on their farm business”, our source added.
It was also learnt that following this development, some members of these communities have volunteered to serve as intermediaries between the people and Dogo Gede led group for ease of communication and harmonious relationship.
According to our source, in Nakuna community, one Mallam Yohanna who was sometimes arrested by special hunters operating in the area on suspicious of being an informant to the Bandits is now serving as the intermediary between the Bandits and his community, while in Apai community, a man popularly refers to as Alhaji is the intermediary between the Bandits and his community.
Meanwhile Bandits group loyal to Dogo Gede and members of Boko Haram sect have shared territories within which to operate among themselves to any further clash.
The demarcation of Territories by these Terrorists is coming barely seven months after the last bloody clash between the two groups, leading to heavy casualties on both sides in February this year.
Our correspondent gathered that in the new boundary adjustment by the two group shows that the Boko Haram Sects will now operate in communities within Hudawa and Kurebe while Bandits warlord, Dogo Gede and his group will now hold on to communities between Kurebe and Iburo.
It could be recalled that the Chairman of Shiroro local government Council, Hon. Akilu Isyaku Kuta in an interview with a private radio station which was monitored in Minna last week confirmed that the Boko Haram Sects have hoisted their flag at Angwar Madaki, saying that “this is the reports that I have received from the people in the area”.
The Sun
