To earn peace, stop tagging us terrorists, bandit leader, Aleru tells Nigerians

Aleru

In a surprise turn of event, a well known vicious bandit leader, Ado Aleru, operating in Nigeria’s North-West, has publicly advocated for peace.

His peaceful coexistence sermon, however, resonates with his call to untagged his group “terrorist.” He warned that violent activities would persist unless authorities and society stop referring to them as terrorists.

Aleru made these controversial statements during a recent peace dialogue session held in the Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Speaking on behalf of his group, he claimed that many youths turn to banditry due to neglect, injustice, and long-standing grievances.

“Our parents are not happy with what we are doing, and even we do not truly want this life in our hearts,” Aleru was quoted saying in a video shared by security analyst Zagazola.

“We would prefer a return to the way things were, where there was mutual respect between farmers and herders, and security personnel stuck to their duties without bias,” he was quoted to have said.

He emphasised that genuine reconciliation and reintegration hinge on mutual respect and an end to stigmatization.

“As long as we are still being called terrorists, then do not expect us to stop behaving like terrorists,” he warned.

Though the date of the meeting in Danmusa is yet unconfirmed but the meeting is said to be part of ongoing peace efforts involving security agencies, local authorities, and armed groups.

These initiatives aim to restore stability to the conflict-prone communities of North-West Nigeria. Traditional leaders, community stakeholders, and government officials are intensifying their efforts to bring lasting peace to the region.