Bandits numbering over 500 on Friday laid siege on Tsafe town, the headquarters of Tsafe local government in Zamfara state, to protest the arrest of Alhaji Masume, father to two notorious bandits in the state.
The siege was led by Ado Aleru and his immediate younger brother, Sanata.
Multiple sources, including a security operative, told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that the siege lasted for six hours.
Abubakar Balarabe, a local, who spoke to this reporter via phone said the bandits blocked the railway intersection leading to Gusau just outside the town.
“They blocked the road leading to Gusau for six hours, threatening to enter Tsafe if their father was not released,” Mr. Balarabe said.
He, however, said they didn’t know whether the bandits’ father was released, “but we felt he has been released because if he was not released, the bandits would have attacked the town.”
He added that the bandits divided themselves under the leadership of the two children: Aleru and Sanata.
“Those who came from Munhaye tgathered about 500 bikes. A native from Munhaye told me he personally counted 400 bikes with three bandits on each. And the from the east of Tsafe Mararaba Yankuzo they counted 340 bikes. Ado led the Munhaye troops and Sanata his brother led the east troops. They have up to dawn for their father to be released,” the source said.
A security source serving in Talata Mafara confirmed that Alhaji Masume was arrested by security operatives in Tsafe cattle market early Friday morning.
“What I know is that he was arrested as part of efforts to reach out to his children, especially Ado Aleru. His father is not a bandit and I can confirm to you that we didn’t arrest him to hurt him but to get at his children,” the security official said.
He, however, refused to say whether the man was released or not, stressing that he personally heard of the siege on Tsafe but said the bandits couldn’t penetrate the town.
Buhari Isa, another Tsafe resident, said Masume was not released by the security agents holding him.
“I know someone who knows the old man here and he confirmed that the man didn’t sleep at his home. They probably are not even holding him in the state by now,” he said.
Ado Aleru is one of the notorius bandits in Zamfara and Katsina states. In 2020, after leading attacks in four villages in one day, the Katsina police command placed a bounty of N5 million for anyone who provides information on the bandit’s whereabouts.
The police spokesperson in the state, SP Mohammed Shehu, didn’t respond to SMS sent to him by this reporter on the siege.
