Isiya Kwashen Garwa, a legendary bandit commander, has urged Nigerians to embrace peace and reconciliation while accusing the government of using oppression, injustice, and decades of poor management to fuel the growing cycle of banditry, abduction, and rural violence.
In front of the chairman of the Bakori Local Government Area, Garwa made the statement on Friday while delivering 37 abducted victims—men, women, and children—to Hon. AbdulRahman Ahmad Kandarawa, a member of the Katsina State House of Assembly who represents the Bakori Constituency.
A video of the transfer ceremony that SaharaReporters was able to obtain showed Garwa, surrounded by armed fighters and wearing a tactical jacket packed with numerous weapon magazines, giving an angry speech that shocked people in the Northwest.
Speaking to the witnesses and high-ranking government officials present, Garwa claimed that the security problem was a revolt sparked by structural unfairness rather than just criminal desire.
Once more, thanks to Allah’s kindness and assistance, roughly thirty-seven persons have been located today. They were all on their way, carrying out their duties, Garwa stated in Hausa.
He went on to say that long-standing complaints, poor leadership, and mistrust of both federal and local institutions were the main causes of the crisis plaguing the Northwest.
Garwa used a metaphor to illustrate the interconnectedness of Hausa and Fulani communities damaged by years of repeated conflict when he cautioned that military might alone would never put out the Northwest fire.
“Contrary to what some people think, this situation is not the way they imagine it, nor is it based on lies or deceit,” Garwa said. People believe that everything is being dishonestly manipulated, but this is untrue before God. Allah permits us to see what is taking place.
“Anyone who extends an invitation for you to sit with him or make amends may or may not be sincere because, similar to waking up healthy today and becoming ill tomorrow, things may appear to be going well today, but tomorrow you may see the opposite of what you had hoped for in your life.” This is the state of affairs.
There must be difficulties every day. There might be an issue now, but there might not be one tomorrow. However, we hope that the few errors that do happen don’t spread fear and don’t result in any significant damage or disturbances.
Because of what we are seeing, we must all come together and give thanks to Allah. This issue is neither ours nor yours, nor is it the result of security agencies’ shortcomings. It is the will of Allah. He has focused everyone’s attention—involved and uninvolved—on understanding one another, demonstrating compassion, and pursuing peace.
“This is preferable to fighting.” People ultimately sit down to negotiate, even in times of war, after ceaseless fighting. Talk less about this circumstance, which is similar to a disagreement between a mother and her child or between a mother and her father.
“We all share the same ancestry and are one people. War is not the solution to this issue. Fighting won’t get you what you want. To help you understand, let me give you an example:
Let’s say you have Suya beans and you request insecticide treatment to eradicate any potential hazards. The bug may be killed, but the spray will destroy the Suya. That’s how this issue is. None of the Fulani or Hausa will live if you attempt to “kill” one side. Because they coexist and rely on one another, you cannot eliminate them without also destroying yourself.
Because of the near proximity of our people—some Fulani and some Hausa—oppression of one group will have an impact on the other. That’s the reality.
According to Garwa, the conflict’s origins are found in the same communities who are experiencing its effects.
“Maybe you could fight one without harming the other if Nigeria were like other countries, where the groups do not depend on each other,” he continued. However, you cannot remove one wing and expect the other to fly because we are bound together here like a bird with a single body.
People need to be aware of this, especially those who advocate for severe measures. Truth, justice, and fairness are the only solutions to this problem. None of us are foreigners; we are all citizens. These issues were brought about by injustice and oppression.
“If you look at any local government impacted by these issues, you’ll notice that the residents of those same locations are frequently the ones causing the problems. The same is true for states like Zamfara and Katsina, where many of the people producing problems are originated from. Oppression, unfairness, and poor management were the root causes of this entire debacle.
While some leaders are aware of this, others are not. People cannot be properly guided by those who lack knowledge. Admitting your ignorance is preferable to speaking ignorantly. You can tell the truth if you know. However, you can’t provide practical remedies if you don’t know where things went wrong or how they began.
The bandit leader claimed that “these tragedies are caused by oppression and injustice.” Many villagers are aware of their own role in the issue within their own community. Some leaders are aware of it, some are unaware of it, and some even helped. There are evil people on all sides.
For the sake of Allah and the Prophet, it is preferable that we pardon, tolerate, and make amends for the wrongs we have committed against one another. Where will it end if we keep looking for retribution? It’s possible that both the person you hurt and the person who hurt you are already dead. How long will retaliation last?
“Let us pardon each other for the sake of Allah and the Prophet. Let’s show compassion to those who are innocent and uninvolved in these issues. Both among your people and ours, the majority of those being killed or injured are innocent.
The bandit commander claimed that an atmosphere where murders, retaliation, and mistrust grew commonplace was fostered by both peasants and those in positions of power.
He accused certain security personnel of conducting raids on innocent families and unlawful killings.
“Security agents go to homes, attack families, kill people, destroy homes and animals that know nothing,” he declared. Then, when our people want to exact revenge, they also assault ignorant, innocent villages. Where are we going with this?
The commander called for communication, forgiveness, and what he called a “reset” of communal relations on several occasions.
“For Allah’s sake, let everyone fear the Day of Judgment,” he continued. Let’s try to find peace by covering each other’s shortcomings. We urge Allah to use the blessings of the Prophet and the Qur’an to restore peace to our local governments, Bakori, Faskari, Katsina, and all other impacted places. Ameen.
