Armed bandits operating in Zamfara State have surfaced in a viral video appealing to the state government and the Nigerian Air Force to open channels for dialogue, as sustained airstrikes continue to target their hideouts.
The video, which has circulated widely on social media, shows the armed group expressing concern over the ongoing aerial bombardments, suggesting a willingness to engage authorities in talks. The development has been interpreted by security observers as an indirect appeal to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, under whose leadership the Armed Forces have intensified operations against criminal elements across the country.
Despite the appeal, military sources indicate that the leadership of the Armed Forces remains resolute and undeterred. Officials reaffirmed that ongoing operations in Zamfara and other affected states are aimed at dismantling criminal networks, denying them safe havens, and restoring security to communities long plagued by violence.
The renewed air and ground offensives form part of a broader strategy to weaken armed groups responsible for attacks, kidnappings, and displacement of civilians in the North-West region. Security authorities have repeatedly emphasized that criminality will not be negotiated under duress.
The message from the military remains unequivocal: there will be no tolerance for terrorism or violent crime no refuge and no escape for those who threaten national security.
