How local hunter struck fear into kidnappers, rustlers on Kaduna-Abuja highway

THE Kaduna-Abuja highway has become one of the most dangerous in the country in recent times. The activities of kidnappers, bandits and rustlers who had made the route their abode have become a national headache. Dozens of innocent souls had been killed on the highway, forcing motorists to abandon it for alternative routes or better still to travel by rail.

This disturbing trend has forced both the Federal Government and Kaduna State government to adopt measures in addressing the security challenge. However, in order to augment government’s efforts, a local hunter, one of the local crime busters in the Northern region, Musa Shehu Aljan, took it upon himself to take the battle to the highway criminals.

Under the aegis of Aljan Network, the local hunter went to the Rijina forest known to be the hideout of the criminals who turned out to be well known faces in the communities bordering the highway.

A resident of the area, who pleaded that his identity should be protected, revealed that “we know the kidnappers but we are afraid of telling the police because those who did so in the past were killed.”

Aljan confided in Arewa Live that during past gun duels, many cattle rustlers and kidnappers were arrested and more than 1,000 animals and weapons were recovered.

In an interview with Arewa Live, Aljan disclosed that it had not been easy as he had had series of battles with the hoodlums but was able to subdue them.

Speaking with newsmen at Hanyin Danbushiya where all the stolen animals were kept, Aljan stated that arms like A-K 49, A-K 47, double-barreled guns and thousands of live bullets were recovered from the hoodlums.

Aljan, while speaking further on his exploits told Arewa Live that he had been rescuing people and animals from kidnappers and bandits who visit a reign of terror on many states across the nation. He also disclosed that all recovered animals always end up being handed over to their owners, noting that herdsmen come from all over the Northern region to identify their stolen animals.

According to him the process of identification of owners is often rigorous and simple, adding that “you have to swear with the Holy Quran before your stolen animal is given back to you. This is necessary because we don’t want to commit the previous mistakes made some years back when animals were given to a set of people who were not the owners.

Aljan lamented that the menace of cattle rustling in the entire Northern region was already a serious problem as a result of the activities of criminals. The local hunter, who is also the National Security Adviser of Miyetti Allah said many herders had lost their family members, just as several others suffer from one ailment or the other. Many herders too, he said, had left the country for neighbouring countries like Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon.

Conducting Arewa Live round the area where recovered animals were kept, Aljan said: “As you can see, all these animals were recovered by me and my boys at Rijana Forest, and we have been doing this kind of operation in many states across Northern Nigeria with the aim of helping herders recover their missing cows.

“I have been arresting criminals, cattle-rustlers and notorious kidnappers for many years and I have been rescuing victims in large number from the hands of bad guys in the forestry.”

He, however, advised governors in the Northern region to redouble their efforts in tackling the increasing security breach in the area which is affecting the peace and stability of the region.

Responding, one of the herders who came to identify his cow, Mallam Gajere Musa, said rustlers had stolen more than 150 cows and donkeys belonging to him, adding that he was lucky to have recovered only five of them because of the traditional marks on them.

According to another victim of cattle rustling, Ya’u Sule, the criminals came to his residence about three years ago and took away all the cows they found in his house.

Mallam Zakari Malumfashi, another victim who is from Katsina State also lost many cows to the bandits saying he was able to recover only 30 animals out of the large number that was stolen. He was grateful to Aljan Network for helping him to recover the few livestock that was handed over to him.

The National President, Peace Revival and Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria, Pastor Yohanna Buru, in an interview maintained that Aljan and his people deserved a national award for his service to humanity. He urged him not to relent in his efforts adding that his efforts should not go unappreciated. Pastor Buru called on wealthy individuals and organisations to support Aljan’s efforts, saying the problem of insecurity is everybody’s business.

From the Kaduna State government’s point of view the Kaduna-Abuja Highway is now safe for travellers, noting that the bandits were now on the run following the consistent pressure mounted on them by both local and conventional security operatives.

However, though there may be respite for now, past experiences had shown that consistency in the pressure mounted on criminal elements is the only antidote to their menace.