'Bandits' kill 13 in Nigeria despite recent peace deals

Gunmen in Nigeria's northwest Katsina state killed 13 people at a mosque Tuesday, according to a report produced for the UN and seen by AFP, despite recent peace deals meant to stem such attacks.

Gangs locally known as "bandits" have for years preyed on rural communities in northwest and central Nigeria, raiding villages, kidnapping residents for ransom and burning homes after looting them.

With security forces unable to defeat them militarily, authorities at the state, local and federal levels have at times opted for peace deals, including in Katsina state.

However, the local government of Malumfashi where the killings took place, had not signed any truce agreement.

The report said that early on Tuesday, "armed bandits" attacked a mosque in the town of Unguwan Mantau, in what was potentially a "retaliatory attack after Nigerian army troops repelled an attempted bandit attack" nearby.

Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, spokesman for the Katsina State police, told AFP that the attack left 15 people dead.

Even in communities that do strike peace deals, the reprieve can be short lived if the gunmen or authorities fail to uphold the bargain.

Bandits — who often retain the majority of their weapons — have also been known to exploit truces to establish safe havens in areas covered by such agreements, while continuing to launch attacks elsewhere.

Security in Kaduna state's Birnin Gwari district improved after a truce in November but neighbouring Katsina and Niger states have seen a rise in bandit attacks.

After a truce last month with notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, some disgruntled residents told AFP the agreement had left Turji's gang intact.

Tuesday's report noted that banditry "continues to rise" in Katsina state and that "bandit groups are likely to continue exploiting security gaps in the short-term".

The ongoing banditry crisis originated in conflicts over land and water rights between herders and farmers but has morphed into organised crime.