Captured dreaded Fulani bandits leader, pleads to be spared, reveals gangs name in Kaduna forest [Lists]

Reprieve may have been coming the way of the people of Southern Kaduna and other North West States as one of the most dreaded bandits leader and banditry coordinator, Alhaji Goma Samai’la has been captured by the Nigeria Military.

The bandits leader was arrested in Kaduna State on Friday and has confessed to be operating in the last 20 years kidnapping and rustling cows.

He however vowed not to continue if they will show him mercy, revealing that he has been into the kidnapping and hostage taking business in the last 20 years.

Alhaji Goma Samai’la is 47 years and Fulani by tribe who runs a network of kidnappers in Kaduna, and other North West States.

While being interrogated by the military, he confessed to working with many gangs whom he revealed their names and also their victims with amount paid as ransom at different times.

He said: “My name is Alhaji Goma Sama’ila. I am 47 years old. I have been involved in kidnapping.”

Speaking on his kidnap escapades, he said: “The first person is Abdul, his family paid a ransom of two hundred thousand naira (N200, 000), Alhaji Umaru gave us five hundred thousand naira (N500, 000), another person is Alhaji Birau, his family paid the total sum of three million naira (N3 million) and the other person is Alhaji Ibrahim who also paid seven hundred thousand naira (N700, 000).

“We have been chasing cows and all of us are from the North. People operating along this Ragachucku axis are: Lawal isah, Awalu, Bature Goma, Gamji, Sule, and the rest. They kidnapped someone and were given the sum of 10 million naira, they also killed one woman; that was the information we got about them.

Bandit Leader Arrested After 20 Years
“In my group, the number of people working within Ragachucku axis are Yusuf, Sule, Gomi, Nasiru, Tukur, Banki, Magaji. Then in the Kirama axis, there is Musa, Kadi, Oria, Ibrahim, Bala, Rebo, Gaia, Malan, Usama, Babangida, Abubakar, and Sule, I forgot the other one’s name. He later left us to join Babangida, Suleiman, and Sule.”

He further pleaded for forgiveness, promising never to go into banditry again. “I promise this will be the first and the last and I promise never to touch anything belonging to anyone ever again. I am pleading for mercy and forgiveness and I will never commit such offence again,” he said.

One of the military men further asked if Sama’ila can take them to where the rest of his gang are operating and where they keep the arms used in operating, he answered in the affirmative adding, “Yes because anyone that stands for truth is always with God,” he said.

Eyewitnesses reports indicated that Sama’ila was responsible for organising several thefts of cows in Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, and other North-West states of Nigeria.

He was said to have participated in several abductions across the states.

Kaduna State has been plagued with several high-profile kidnappings, mass murder, and cattle rustling by bandits.

A source said, “Nigerian troops arrested Goma Sama’ila, one of the ‘most wanted” and notorious bandits’ leaders terrorising Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina and other northwestern states in Nigeria.”

The development comes amid military interventions in the region.