Eleven governors in the North-West, in collaboration with the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Muhammed, banned herdsmen from carrying arms in public places, including markets and places of worship.

Similarly, volunteer groups, known as Yansakai, have been banned in all the states that make up the North-West in the country.

The volunteer groups were also directed to surrender all weapons in their possession, following their ban.

These were part of the four-point resolutions arrived at, after a meeting of 11 Northern state governors and the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Muhammed, in Katsina on Thursday.

The meeting lasted for four and a half hours.

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, who read the communique after the meeting, said efforts would also be made to ensure that herdsmen have access to improved breed of cattle.

Masari added, “Herdsmen and their families should be allowed to attend markets and worship places, as well as their day-to-day activities, provided that they don’t carry arms into the public places.

“That herdsmen should conduct themselves and live peacefully with one another.

“That those who stole animals should return them through government or the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association.

“That the repentant bandits, including the Yansakai, should surrender all arms and ammunition in their possession to the authorities and release people that are in their captivity.”

Governor Masari said secretaries to the governments of the 11 states that attended the meeting have been directed to stay behind and further perfect the resolutions.
Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State has said that cattle rustlers and arm bandits have been granted amnesty by the Northwest governors as part of measures to restore peace in the zone.

Masari made the disclosure in a communique read at the end of a one day security and reconciliation meeting with security agents, vigilante and volunteer groups, herdsmen and farmers on Thursday in Katsina.

“As from today, no vigilante group member or volunteers should attack or kill any herdsman, as sacrifice must be made by both sides to ensure peace reign.

“Herdsmen and their families should be allowed to go for their normal businesses, attend markets and worship places without molestation provided they don’t carry arms.

“Those bandits who rustled animals from communities should immediately return them to the government or Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association.

“Bandits should surrender their weapons and immediately release all those kidnapped and now under their custody.

“We are happy that we have seen some releases of kidnapped victims from Zamfara and other States,” he said.

The governor also said the states would intensify efforts to provide necessities that would make nomadic life meaningful like hospitals, schools, grazing reserves among others.

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara said that the states would provide grazing reserve for the herders for them to settle in one place in the zone.

Matawalle said: “we are concern that herders are always roaming around with their animals thereby exposing themselves to different kinds of hazards.

“The governors took a uniform measure, you should also take a uniform decision not to rustle animals, kidnap or kill anyone.

“You should immediately release all people in your custody in order to show the world that you have truly repented,” he said.

In his remarks, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said nobody was allowed to attack or kill anybody in the name of vigilante or volunteer group, saying anybody caught killing innocent people would be pursued by the police and prosecuted.

Adamu said any herdsman that indulged in kidnapping or other acts would equally be arrested by the police and made to face the full wrath of the law.

Secretaries to the State Governments attending the meeting would remain and continue discussion with security agents and herdsmen on modalities to go about measures to be adopted.