The fragile peace in the Nigerian city of Doma, in the northern state of Katsina, was shattered by a bloody attack by an armed group. A non-aggression pact, concluded by the community with criminals last September, ceased to be effective after the mass murder of residents. This was reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
A six-month period of relative calm ended on February 3, when armed men from the same group with which the agreement was signed broke into the city. According to eyewitnesses, the attackers went from house to house, opening fire on people. The raid killed at least 21 people. Local residents, who had hoped for a safe return to work on their farms, once again found themselves in the epicenter of violence.
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This incident is symptomatic of the region, where officials from approximately 15 districts of Katsina State, as well as Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara States, are forced to engage in direct contact with bandits. Due to the ineffectiveness of army operations, communities are effectively delegating security issues to criminal groups.
It seems people have given up on the government's ability to protect them and are instead making deals with bandits
Position of the central government and international pressure
Official Abuja and the military command condemn the practice of local agreements. Defense Minister Christopher Musa recently warned local authorities, stating that such negotiations undermine the national security strategy. The government insists on a policy of complete refusal to dialogue with kidnappers and gangs, although on the ground, communities see no other way to survive.
The situation in Nigeria is under close scrutiny by the United States. President Donald Trump previously accused the Nigerian authorities of failing to protect Christian communities from militant attacks.