By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Sidelined bandit kingpin behind Zamfara varsity abduction: FG’s negotiation strategy criticized
A sidelined bandit kingpin has emerged as the orchestrator behind the abduction of female students from the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State, shedding light on a complex web of negotiations and security lapses. This kingpin’s act was driven by his frustration at being excluded from the various negotiating teams deployed by the federal government to address the escalating wave of abductions and violence in Zamfara.
In Saturday report, we learned that while multiple negotiation teams engaged with different factions of bandits, the kingpin in question was overlooked, prompting him to take matters into his own hands and demonstrate his influence. In a brazen move, he led his supporters to the university’s vicinity, where they forcibly took an undisclosed number of students and locals.
The attack on the university occurred in the early hours of September 21, resulting in the tragic herding of female students into the nearby wilderness. Though some have been rescued, others remain unaccounted for.
Zamfara remains one of the hardest-hit regions by banditry in the North West, with numerous groups perpetrating these crimes and holding hundreds captive. While some factions possess the capability to inflict severe harm, destroying communities and causing loss of life, others engage in various criminal activities.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara accused the federal government of clandestine negotiations with bandits in the state without his knowledge, hinting at a potential connection to the university abduction. This accusation sparked a heated exchange with the federal government, with both sides trading blame over the security situation.
In light of these events, Professor Usman Yusuf, a former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and a key negotiator in past abductions, criticized the federal government’s negotiation strategy, asserting it directly contributed to the recent tragedy. He urged a reevaluation of the approach to ensure a unified and effective response to such crises.