Birnin Gwari: Motorcycle, phone theft replace abductions

After a peace deal signed in October 2024 between communities in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State and so-called repentant bandits, residents said a new wave of insecurity is threatening the fragile calm. The peace initiative comes after nearly a decade of violence that made the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway one of Nigeria’s most dangerous roads. […]

After a peace deal signed in October 2024 between communities in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State and so-called repentant bandits, residents said a new wave of insecurity is threatening the fragile calm.

The peace initiative comes after nearly a decade of violence that made the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway one of Nigeria’s most dangerous roads. From 2015, residents faced relentless attacks and abductions, with travellers forced to rely on military escorts-often with limited success.

The area has now begun to experience relative peace, and many displaced villagers have returned to their homes and resumed farming.

However, residents said instead of kidnappings, bandits are allegedly roaming farmlands and communities, snatching motorcycles, mobile phones, cash, and farm inputs from helpless farmers.

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Villagers in Kuyello and other areas said they are again living in fear. Some avoid their farms altogether, while others leave their phones at home to avoid being robbed.

“The bandits no longer kidnap, but they take our belongings forcefully. They now walk freely into towns without fear,” one resident lamented.

The development has sparked fresh concerns over the effectiveness of the peace accord.

Locals complained of a lack of enforcement and accountability mechanisms to restrain the so-called repentant fighters, raising fears that the area could slide back into full-scale violence.

 

Thefts on farmlands

Babanyara Isah, a youth leader in Kuyello community, said the major challenge facing residents is the frequent theft of mobile phones and motorcycles.

“They no longer kidnap, but the snatching of phones and motorcycles, especially when people go to the farm, is now the biggest problem,” he said.

He called on the government to take their concerns seriously, noting that despite accepting the peace deal in good faith, the bandits now operate openly within the community.

According to him, the bandits’ leaders blame the misconduct on a few disobedient youths. 

Another resident, who preferred anonymity, recalled how bandits attacked him and others on their farm.

“They came, demanded our phones, and ordered us to lie down. They warned us not to move or risk being shot. They took all our phones and left,” he said.

He noted that such incidents became more frequent after the initial months of the peace deal.

“They now take our phones, money, fertilisers, even insecticides. We don’t know what’s next,” he added.

Shagari Hassan, a resident of Birnin Gwari town, acknowledged a security improvement but lamented the rise in theft.

 

Peace holds in eastern Birnin Gwari

Lawal Saidu, a youth leader in Damari, eastern Birnin Gwari, said such thefts are rare in their area. “We only witness petty thefts within the town, mostly by local youths who break into shops,” he said, adding that community efforts are underway to address the issue.

“Snatching phones is even better than kidnapping or killing someone, which we no longer experience. In Damari, we’ve not had problems on farms or with farm inputs,” he added.

Saidu explained that eastern communities like Dogon Dawa and Damari are benefiting from a local arrangement with Fulani leaders. “We agreed that any offender will be punished by their group. That’s why peace has returned to our area.”

Dr. Isa Muhammad, Chairman of the Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU), also confirmed the success of the October 2024 peace accord, saying “For the first time in over a decade, residents have returned to their farms without fear. The peace is real and visible.”

He credited improved security for the renewed economic activity, noting a sharp rise in farming and cattle rearing.

While acknowledging isolated sabotage attempts by unrepentant elements, he insisted these do not reflect the overall situation. 

Dr. Muhammad urged continued collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the fragile gains are sustained and not undermined by a few troublemakers.

  

Residents cautioned against retaliation

As peace gradually returns to Birnin Gwari, local leaders say sustaining it requires ongoing engagement and government support.

Dr. Isa Muhammad, Chairman of the Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU), said the union is working closely with the government and traditional rulers to maintain stability through continued dialogue with repentant bandits.

While acknowledging that incidents of phone and motorcycle theft still occur, Dr. Muhammad cautioned residents against retaliation.

“We’ve come from a terrible place. The last 10 years were marked by fear; we cannot afford to go back,” he said.

Dr. Muhammad further urged the federal government to support peace with infrastructure. “Without development, this fragile security could collapse,” he warned.

 

‘No attacks, Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road safe’

Residents and commuters have confirmed that the once dangerous Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway is now safe for travel.

Imam Husseini Udawa, from Udawa community, said: “The road is calm. People are farming again, and the fear is gone.”

Alhaji Zubairu Abdulrauf, a traditional title holder and community leader in Birnin Gwari Emirate, said the peace accord signed in October 2024 has brought significant stability to the area.

“In the last eight months, there has been no attack or mass abduction. People and goods now move freely,” Abdulrauf said.

He noted that even Fulani communities living in remote forest areas are engaging peacefully with locals.

According to him, local markets have also seen a resurgence, attracting traders from across Nigeria and neighbouring countries like the Benin Republic.

He acknowledged some minor infractions, such as phone and motorcycle thefts from farmers but emphasised that no kidnappings or highway attacks have been recorded in months.

Abdulrauf confirmed that no community has been overrun since the peace deal.

 

Police stations operational, but banks remain closed

Our correspondent reports that police stations in Birnin Gwari are fully operational.

There is an Area Command and a Divisional Police Office located within Birnin Gwari town, both actively functioning. Additionally, two other Divisional Police Offices are operational in Randagi and Kuyello, all within the local government area.

Military checkpoints along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway remain manned, positioned near locations where troops are currently camped.

Despite the improved security situation, findings reveal that banks in the area remain closed.

Birnin Gwari has had no functional banking services for over a decade. The three banks that previously operated in the town were forced to shut down due to persistent insecurity and a lack of reliable network infrastructure.

Residents said the absence of banking facilities continues to hinder economic recovery and access to financial services, despite the recent return of relative peace.

 

The Kaduna Model

The peace accord in Birnin Gwari was anchored on the Kaduna Model, a comprehensive strategy developed by the state government in collaboration with federal agencies to address insecurity through both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.

The model, driven by the Peace Dialogue Group, includes disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) of bandits, alongside investment in rural development and conflict resolution. It aims to address both the root causes and symptoms of violence.

The process involved tireless engagement with stakeholders, especially through dialogue. Several senior bandit leaders reportedly laid down arms after numerous meetings built mutual trust. To reinforce the peace effort, the government also banned the activities of the Yan Sa Kai local vigilantes, particularly in Birnin Gwari, due to concerns over extra-judicial actions that escalated violence.

While the state adopted a carrot-and-stick approach, welcoming those who embraced peace, it also warned that anyone who resumed violence would face decisive military action.

Under the agreement, bandits pledged to stop attacks and allow farmers to access their lands, especially forest-based farms, without fear of abduction or death.

In return, the bandits demanded that the long-shut Birnin Gwari cattle market be reopened, and that they be allowed to access communities, markets, and primary healthcare centres without being profiled or targeted. They also urged security forces to cease forest raids on those who have embraced peace.

Governor Uba Sani, upon assuming office, launched the Kaduna Model in partnership with the Office of the National Security Adviser to pursue sustainable peace.

 

Peace deal working – Gov

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has credited the significant improvement in security in Birnin Gwari to the ongoing peace initiative implemented through the “Kaduna Model.”

Speaking recently on Arise Television, the governor said his administration adopted both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, within legal limits, to address insecurity.

Governor Sani explained that real progress began with direct engagement with local communities. “There was a deep trust deficit between the communities and the so-called bandits. We couldn’t impose reconciliation-it had to come from the people,” he said.

“Today, at least 25 to 30 trucks of cows leave Birnin Gwari for Lagos daily. Grains markets are booming, and people are doing business worth billions of naira,” the governor said.

Security expert Ishaq Usman Kasai warned that unless the government provides skills training and jobs for ex-bandits, they may revert to crime.

“Some have already started phone and motorcycle theft, even travelling to nearby states like Niger and Zamfara to operate. The government must invest in vocational programmes and revisit the idea of ranches,” he said.