Katsina Local Vigilante Arrests Suspected Bandit Linked To Notorious Terror Kingpin, Suspect Confesses To Cattle Rustling, Attacks In Four Villages

Katsina State — The Katsina Community Watch Corps (C-Watch) has apprehended a suspected bandit identified as Ubaidu, who allegedly confessed to participating in multiple terrorist attacks, cattle rustling operations and killings under the command of a notorious bandit leader known as Muhammadu, popularly called Kachalla Maha.

Kachalla Maha has been linked to several violent attacks across Katsina State, including the abduction of late retired General Rabe Abubakar.

In a video obtained by Afrika Eyes, the suspect, speaking in Hausa during an interrogation session conducted by members of the Katsina Community Watch Corps, admitted to engaging in terrorism and participating in attacks alongside several other individuals allegedly working under Muhammadu’s command.

During the interview, Ubaidu identified himself as a 27-year-old Hausa man from Walah in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State.

When asked about the allegations against him, he openly admitted involvement in terrorist activities.

“What offence are you being accused of?” an interrogator asked.

“Terrorism,” Ubaidu replied.

When asked whether the allegation was true, he answered, “Yes.”

Asked if he had personally engaged in terrorism, he again responded, “Yes.”

The suspect named several alleged accomplices, including Jamilu, Buhari, Umar and Isah, whom he said were from Tudun Lafiya.

According to him, all of them operated under the command of Muhammadu, whom he identified as “Uban Dabbataƙo.”

Asked who Uban Dabbataƙo was, he replied, “Muhammadu.”

The suspect further stated that Muhammadu is from Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

During the interrogation, officials sought to establish whether his confession was made voluntarily.

When asked if he had been beaten, tortured or forced to confess, Ubaidu denied any coercion.

“Were you beaten?” the interrogator asked.

“No,” he replied.

“Was anything bad done to you or were you forced to tell the truth?”

“No.”

“Are you the one who decided to speak?”

“Yes, I decided to speak.”

Ubaidu went on to narrate how he allegedly accompanied the terrorist group on a series of operations in different communities.

According to him, one of the locations where they carried out attacks was Tsanyawa village.

“Ubaidu took you to where and where to commit these terrorist acts?” he was asked.

“Yes, we went to Tsanyawa,” he responded.

Asked whether it was Tsanyawa town or village, he clarified that it was Tsanyawa village.

He said the group rustled cattle and attacked residents in the community.

“What did you do in Tsanyawa village?” he was asked.

“We went there and rustled cattle and attacked people,” he answered.

The suspect disclosed that approximately ten armed men participated in the operation and that they were equipped with AK-47 rifles.

“About how many guns did you go with?”

“About ten.”

“What type?”

“AK-47 rifles.”

He further revealed that the group later proceeded to Sabon Garan Garu, where they also carried out cattle rustling operations.

“What happened at Sabon Garan Garu?” the interrogator asked.

“We rustled cattle there too,” he replied.

Asked how many weapons they carried during that operation, he said the group again moved with about ten AK-47 rifles.

According to Ubaidu, Muhammadu was in command of all the operations.

“Of all these people you mentioned, under whose command were you operating?”

“Muhammadu.”

The suspect also mentioned Tsaya as another location where attacks were carried out.

“What happened in Tsaya?” he was asked.

“People were shot there too,” he responded.

“So you were taken to Tsaya as well?”

“Yes.”

Asked to mention other places where he participated in terrorist operations, he replied that those were the locations he could recall.

Questioned about what drew him into banditry and terrorism, Ubaidu said he was persuaded and lured into the criminal activities.

“What tempted you into joining this terrorist activity?” the interrogator asked.

“Honestly, it was fate and persuasion. The group lured me and convinced me,” he replied.

The suspect also admitted that killings occurred during some of the operations.

“In all the places you went, where were people killed?” he was asked.

“Yes, in the places where killings happened, people were killed in Tsaya,” he said.

Asked if killings also occurred elsewhere, he replied, “And also in Sabon Garan Garu.”

According to him, two people were reportedly killed during the Sabon Garan Garu operation.

“How many people were killed in Sabon Garan Garu?” he was asked.

“In Sabon Garan Garu, we rustled cattle and while we were returning, those ahead of us later told us that two people had been killed,” he answered.

“Two people there?”

“Yes.”

Regarding casualties in Tsaya, the suspect said he could not provide an exact figure because many people were reportedly killed.

“But in Tsaya, honestly, I do not know the number of people killed because many people were killed and I do not know the exact figure,” he said.

Again, when asked under whose command the operations were conducted, Ubaidu repeated that Muhammadu was responsible.

“Who did you carry out these acts with? Under whose command?”

“Muhammadu.”

The suspect expressed remorse when questioned about his involvement in the attacks.

“Ubaidu, do you think what you did was good?” he was asked.

“Honestly… no,” he replied.

He also pledged to cooperate with security authorities in locating the alleged bandit leader.

“Are you willing to cooperate with us so that we can find Muhammadu?”

“God willing.”

“Are you willing to assist the authorities with information on where Muhammadu can be found?”

“By God’s grace, yes.”

Asked what he wanted from the authorities, the suspect replied: “I am asking for justice.”

The arrest comes amid intensified efforts by local security outfits and conventional security agencies to combat banditry, cattle rustling, kidnappings and other violent crimes that have plagued communities across Katsina State and parts of Nigeria’s North-West region.