By Ahmed Musa
Let me go down the lane of historic memory of how banditry activities began in the north-west bandit-ridden Nigerian state of Zamafara.
A popular Hausa proverb once said, " MAI DOKAR KWANA BAYA ANGAJE" literally meaning '(He who says others should not sleep, shouldn't be found dozing off)'
In fact, my heart bleeds since I heard Abdulmalik Gajam, one of Dauda Lawal Dare's cabinet members that decide the fate of the innocent, vulnerable and good people of Zamfara State, saying that the immediate past governor of Zamfara State, Hon. (Dr.) Bello Mohammed Matawllen Maradun MFR, purchased and distributed Hilux cars to bandits. He went on to say that former Gov. Matawalle gave asylum to bandits.
My heart bleeds, particularly when it goes down the memory lane of the genesis of the mayhem and the sorrow that banditry has brought to innocent lives across north-western Nigeria.
People may not have forgotten so soon the case of the first person who was arrested when banditry started in 2011/2012 in Zamfara State, when His Excellency Ambassador Gajam was the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. Abdulmalik Gajam was a young boy then, so he might not have been in the picture of this story; otherwise, he will regret raising the issue of the fight against banditry in Zamfara State.
I, therefore, simply want the Hon. Commissioner for Budget and Planning to find out who that person who was first arrested with an AK-47 and other ammunition was.
Again, I would like to ask Hon. Abdulmalik Gajam, the Dauda Lawal Dare's administration spokesperson, to tell the world who Buharin Daji is to Gajam's family.
If I may help out in case he does not know, Buharin Daji and Ambassador Gajam, who is a father to Hon Abdulmalik Gajam, are of the same parent.
But for Buharin Daji, who is an uncle to Dauda Lawal Dare's spokesperson, the people of Zamfara in particular and Northern Nigeria in general wouldn't have known what banditry and bandits are.
The sadness and sorrow, the pains and agony bandits have brought to millions of people across north-western Nigeria emanated from the Gajam family with the activity of Buharin Daji.
Not until recently, when former Gov Matawalle took the bold steps, resulting from his wisdom to strategically plan, prepared, and executed far-reaching decisions to tackle insecurity in the state, which His Excellency Gov Dauda Lawal Dare is now copying without wisdom, culminating into huge failure of his government to fight the escalating security challenges in the state, bandits would have completely taken over the whole of Northern Nigerian.
Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kebbi States would never forget so soon the atrocities committed by Buharin Daji, whose name spread like wildfire before now, especially for killing, kidnapping, raping, cattle rustling, and the collection of ransoms from innocent villagers. Banditry in the state was initiated, organized and executed by Hon. Gajam's uncle before he was killed on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 by one of his former boys, Dogo Gide and his decomposed body brought to Gusau, the state capital, on March 9.
Abdulmalik Gajam's uncle promised to commit the deadliest horror to the entire northwestern Nigeria before he was gunned down by one of his rival bandits Dogo Gide, following a disagreement on sharing formula for rustled cows.
Gajam, being a young man without prerequisite knowledge and experience in governance, just like his principal, should desist from fighting the former Gov. Bello Matawalle, abandoning the basic responsibility of government, which has caused further damage to the lives and properties of innocent people across villages and towns in Zamfara State.
I, therefore, urge Gov. Dauda Lawal Dare to focus on the fight against banditry in Zamfara State rather than concentrating on the battle he cannot win.
Ahmed Musa is a public affairs commentator and writes from Zamafara.