In a chilling rebuke to military crackdowns, notorious bandit leader Kachalla Ummaru has issued a stark warning to Nigeria’s security forces: escalate the violence, and it will only breed more. “If you kill 10 of us today, tomorrow you’ll see 20. Kill 20, and 30 will arise—both in the bushes and villages,” Ummaru declared during tense peace negotiations in Katsina State’s Matazu Local Government Area.
The outburst, captured in a viral video shared by counter-insurgency watchdog Zagazola Makama, unfolded Saturday amid fragile dialogue between armed groups, community elders, and local authorities. Ummaru, a feared kingpin linked to kidnappings, cattle rustling, and ambushes in the northwest’s bandit-plagued heartlands, didn’t mince words. He accused residents of Matazu of betrayal, claiming they feed intelligence to troops who then inflate kill counts for rewards. “You people are part of the problem because you’re fond of complaining to security operatives and giving them information,” he fumed. “Even when they come to where we are, they don’t kill even a bird, but you’ll hear in the news that 10 bandits have been killed and they’ll be paid.”
The remarks underscore the limits of a “kinetic” approach—military raids and airstrikes—to curbing banditry, which has terrorized Katsina and neighboring states like Zamfara and Kaduna for years, displacing thousands and claiming hundreds of lives annually. Ummaru’s plea for non-violent solutions aligns with a wave of grassroots reconciliation efforts gaining traction in the region. Just last Wednesday, bandits in Faskari LGA freed 28 hostages following a similar peace accord, a rare win in a conflict that’s seen over 200 abductions in Katsina alone this year.
This weekend’s Matazu talks are part of a broader push: Sabuwa and Dandume LGAs recently inked pacts with armed factions, joining seven others—Batsari, Kankara, Kurfi, Musawa, Danmusa, Jibia, and Faskari—in committing to ceasefires. In exchange, bandits pledged to halt raids, release captives, and curb rustling, while locals promised market access without reprisals and the release of detained fighters. Community elders at the Matazu session urged all sides toward “genuine peace” for residents’ safety, but Ummaru’s defiance highlighted deep mistrust. “The government neglects ordinary citizens,” he added, calling for intervention whenever bandits are targeted or suspected in kidnappings.
Online, the video has ignited fury and fear. On X, users decried Ummaru’s bravado as a “slap to the army’s face,” with one post from @NaijaOnPoint racking up shares: “Bandit leader warns: Kill 10, see 20 tomorrow.” Rights groups like Amnesty International echoed calls for dialogue over firepower, warning that endless cycles of revenge only swell bandit ranks with desperate youth. “Force alone recruits more fighters from the marginalized,” a spokesperson noted, citing poverty and land disputes as root causes.
As Katsina’s nine LGAs now stand as fragile beacons of hope, Ummaru’s words hang like a storm cloud: Will peace talks disarm the threats, or will they arm a bolder insurgency? Security analysts say the ball’s in Abuja’s court—shift to socioeconomic fixes, or risk a multiplied menace.
Zagazola Makama and Katsina State Government have not commented further. Track developments on X with #KatsinaBanditTalks.