Zamfara in the last 7 days has not ushered in the desired results following Military deployment. The Military and the bandits, at best, have been playing a cat and mouse game.

At one moment, expectations rise to the impending routing of the bandits in one particular forest and in the next moment the bandits have melted unscathed to other forests.

For instance, we are witnessing an upsurge of banditry and disturbing violence in Safana and Batsari areas in Katsina state. Media and public attention on this front is at zero level, but not any less more troubling than what had been reported in Zamfara.

Specifically, the Ruggu forest in Katsina is now home and the operational base for bandits/terrorists who fled from the Zamfara plains following Military incursions there.

Nevertheless, there are still disturbing occurrences in Zamfara State that point to the presence of terrorists or embedded mercenaries. The confrontation is now taking the form of guerrilla warfare.

There was an ambush last week of soldiers within the vicinity of Talata Mafara forest. That this particular cell used locally made IED or land mines points to a possibility that it’s going to be a very long day in the trenches for both sides.

Read more: https://thebelltimesng.com/2019/04/22/zamfara-in-the-last-7-days-by-ahmad-salkida/