“Even The Government Is Benefiting From This Insecurity” – Fulani Bandit Kingpin

According to self-confessed bandit kingpin Abu Sanni, everyone, including the government makes money off of the insecurity in the Nigeria.

Sanni, who claims to have helped orchestrate the kidnapping of students from the Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe, Zamfara, said this in an interview with BBC Africa Eye in a forest in Zamfara.

A documentary titled “The Bandit warlords of Zamfara,” which features Abu Sanni will air today, July 25.

A journalist named Yusuf Anka visited isolated bandit areas in the state to meet with the bandits.

Sanni told the journalist that his gang abducted the schoolgirls on February 27, 2021, as retaliation for the government deploying the military to search for them.

He claimed that although his gang had asked the government for N300 million to free the schoolgirls, only N60 million had been given.

He said, “When the rainy season ended, they sent the military after us. We decided to show the government they should not interfere in our problems. We went to Jangebe and took the students. We wanted to get the government angry.

“We demanded N300 million but after negotiations, N60 million was paid for their release.”

Sanni asserted that everyone, including the government, benefits from the violent attacks and that insecurity has developed into a lucrative business.

He said, “Because it has become a business. Everyone wants money. That is why things are deteriorating, from the top to the bottom.

“They say when there is insecurity, the government gets money. Everyone is benefitting. We also get money. Though for our money, blood is spilled so it continues.”