By Our Correspondent
National News – Residents in multiple communities across Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State say some villages are negotiating with armed bandits for “survival,” heightening local insecurity.
Sources told Arewa PUNCH that these informal arrangements make military operations challenging and deepen divisions between communities.
Villages cooperating with bandits reportedly serve as safe corridors for the groups, allowing them to evade security forces.
Findings show over 25 communities, including Gidan Dogo, Ungwan Luka, Maikasuwa, Item, Maidorafi, Maidokufai, Maigoro, Gizago, and Pachi, have allegedly reached agreements with bandits.
Conversely, several communities, such as Awon, Anturu, Akwando, Akwaya Daji, and Amuse, rejected negotiations, making them frequent targets for raids, abductions, and killings.
Displacement has surged, with villages in the former Ariko and Koron Tsoho Districts, including Ariko, Ungwan Toka, Katonbisa, Gidan Dare, and Gidan Obere, largely deserted.
Residents explained that only 15–30% of inhabitants remain in non-cooperating communities, mostly the elderly or those unable to relocate.
Security analysts warn that these “shield” deals embolden criminal groups, complicating military interventions.
A former adviser to Kachia Local Government said villages striking deals host bandits, provide food, organize events, marry off children to them, and sometimes witness sexual assaults, leaving lasting trauma.
Local sources allege that during military operations, some villagers hide bandits and alert them to escape.
Maigoro community recently hosted a traditional marriage ceremony involving a bandit leader, underscoring the uneasy coexistence.
Kaduna State Police representatives were unavailable for comment, leaving the crisis largely unchecked.
This development highlights a growing humanitarian and security challenge in Kaduna, forcing communities to choose between displacement and uneasy cohabitation with armed groups.
The fragile balance continues to strain security efforts and worsen regional instability.
