Bandits on Thursday attacked residents of Bingi and Nachuche villages in Bungudu local government area of Zamfara state killing 13 people and kidnapping 11 others, Eons Intelligence has gathered. 

The attack comes two days after bandits shot dead JF London, the commander of the Joint Task Force in Zamfara and four days after security forces killed thirty bandits terrorizing Bungudu Local Government Area of the state. 

As banditry in Zamfara and neighbouring states continue to skyrocket, Governor Bello Matawalle's Peace agreement with the Bandits has come under heavy criticism with critics accusing him of sponsoring bandits. 

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Last year, the All Progressive Congress (APC) accused Mattawale of sponsoring banditry in Zamfara state, a claim the Governor described as malicious and insulting, adding that banditry in Zamfara has drastically reduced compared to the PDP administration. 

Eons Intelligence reported that Governor Matawalle was accused of gifting bandits brand new vehicles which are now used for criminal activities, a claim the Governor has vehemently denied. 

Governor Matawalle entered into a peace agreement with Bandits terrorizing Zamfara in 2019 as part of measures to secure peace in Zamfara state. 

The terms of the peace agreement are not known, but Matawalle has stated severally that he sees negotiation with bandits as the best option for lasting peace in his state. 

Many have criticized the Governor of allegedly making his state a safe haven for bandits who perpetuate heinous crimes in surrounding states and hide within Zamfara territory. 

In November 2020, the Governor of Zamfara claimed he was able to secure the release of 26 girls abducted in Dan-Aji community in Katsina through mere dialogue with the bandits.

The girls, aged between 8 and 12 were kidnapped in Katsina and taken into the bandit's camp in Zamfara. 

READ ALSO: TERROR ATTACKS HAVE DRASTICALLY REDUCED IN ZAMFARA – GOVERNOR BELLO MATAWALLE

The village head in Katsina was quick to refute Governor Matawalle's claim, saying the community paid the bandits 6.6 million ransom to secure the abducted girls’ freedom. 

The 344 schoolboys abducted from their school in Katsina in December 2020 were also taken to the bandit’s camp in Zamfara state. The boys were released after spending 6 nights in captivity following negotiations with the bandits. 

ADVISORY: Eons Intelligence security experts advise that the federal government investigates the details of the peace agreement between the Zamfara State government and the bandits to ascertain if the State government is not inadvertently funding the bandits- a move that might sabotage the effort of the nations security forces mission of eradicating banditry in the Northeast.

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