Before Matawalle’s directive, some residents of the affected states had taken their destiny into their own hands by mobilising against bandits and resorting to self-help.
While the residents of Matusgi in Talata Mafara, Zamfara State had overpowered and killed about 37 bandits, thousands of residents of Gobir in Sokoto State had also stormed the forest in large numbers to rescue about 150 kidnapped compatriots and also recover the remains of the district head of Gobir, Isa Mohammad Bawa, who was abducted and killed by bandits.
