A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji, has raised the alarm over the rising brutality of bandit attacks in Zamfara State in recent times.

Jaji, who represents Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency, while addressing journalists at the National Assembly on Wednesday, revealed a horrifying incident in which newborn twins were fed to dogs by bandits.
He said over 200 of his constituents have been kidnapped by bandits in a wave of relentless attacks in recent weeks.

According to the lawmaker, the mother of the twins was abducted by the bandits while pregnant. After giving birth in captivity, he said the terrorists threw the infants to dogs, who devoured them.

“That is where we are now. That is the level of inhumanity we are facing,” he said.

He further recounted the heartbreaking story of an epileptic boy who was killed because he fell during a seizure.

“The bandit demanded the boy be brought to him to be executed. The father, out of desperation, begged his son to surrender to save the rest of the family. The boy agreed and was shot dead.”

The lawmaker said the frequency and brutality of the attacks suggest a collapse of governance in many parts of Zamfara, calling on the federal government to do more in tackling the situation.

He recalled that during the 2023 general elections, he was part of the Northwest campaign team for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and had given assurances to the people that security would be a top priority.

“Now, we are failing those who believed in us. Our people can’t access their farms. Their economy has collapsed. We have many internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are not even recognized by the federal or state governments.”
“In my constituency alone, over 200 people have been kidnapped by bandits. Two weeks ago, 60 people were abducted in Banga. Ten of them were later killed because the community could not raise the N30 million ransom demanded by the abductors. As we were grieving, another 25 were taken from Gabake. Just yesterday, fresh attacks occurred in Kungurki,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in Zamfara, he argued against it.

“If you declare a state of emergency in Zamfara, you might as well declare it in more than 20 other states. Insecurity is a national crisis, not a regional one.”

He called on the federal government to do more, not just for Zamfara, but for all parts of the country suffering under the weight of armed violence.
“This is no longer a political matter. It is a humanitarian disaster. If we fail to act now, the entire country will be consumed,” he said.

He said he has tried to engage security stakeholders, including the Minister of Defence, but so far, little has come out of these efforts.

“Zamfara, my state, used to be the most peaceful in Nigeria. Today, we are among the most ravaged. The constitution guarantees the protection of life and property, but that promise is not being kept.”

Responding to a question about arming the residents for self-defense, he said the law must guide actions.

“We are legislators, not vigilantes. We cannot encourage people to take up arms illegally. But the truth is, the people feel abandoned.”