The Katsina Community Watch Corps (C-Watch) has reportedly arrested two suspects accused of supplying ammunition and running errands for a notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Maha, in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The suspects, identified as Abubakar from Jaya and Ubale Change from Matazu, allegedly confessed to their involvement in the activities while being questioned by security operatives.
In a video obtained by reporters, the two suspects spoke in Hausa and admitted that they had been involved in the movement and supply of ammunition.
During the interrogation, Abubakar said he was accused of terrorism and identified Ubale Change as one of the persons involved with him.
Asked what he and Ubale Change did, Abubakar said he was sent to collect ammunition.
“He sends me to collect ammunition from him,” Abubakar said.
When asked who sent him, Abubakar identified a man called Lawal, also known as Yahaya.
The interviewer then asked Abubakar how many times he had collected ammunition from Ubale.
After initially confirming that Ubale was beside him, Abubakar said he had collected ammunition from him twice.
Asked where he collected the ammunition, Abubakar said, “I collected it at his house.”
He was subsequently asked where he took the ammunition after collecting it.
“I left from there, went on my way, and later went to the behind police station,” he said.
The interviewer then turned to Ubale Change and asked him to confirm Abubakar’s account.
Ubale responded, “Yes, it is true.”
Asked how many times he had given Abubakar ammunition, Ubale repeatedly answered, “Twice.”
The interviewer then asked Ubale who supplied him with the ammunition and whether he sold it himself.
Ubale denied selling the ammunition himself, saying, “No. Mustapha is the one who first gives it to me.”
Asked where Mustapha was from, Ubale identified Karefa as his town of origin and said Mustapha worked as a pump operator.
According to Ubale, he collected the ammunition from Mustapha twice before handing it over to Abubakar.
“Who do you give it to after collecting it?” the interviewer asked.
“Abubakar,” Ubale responded.
The interviewer then asked Ubale whether he considered what he had done to be a good thing.
“Honestly, there is nothing good about what I have done,” Ubale said.
Asked what benefit he gained from participating in the activity, Ubale admitted that he benefited from it.
“Honestly, I benefited from it,” he said.
The interviewer further asked whether Ubale knew other people who were involved in, or planning to engage in, similar activities.
Ubale answered in the affirmative, saying there were other people involved.
“Yes. There are others who are coming, others who are planning to come, and others who are getting involved, honestly,” he said.
When asked whether those people were still there, Ubale replied, “Yes, they are there.”
The interviewer subsequently prayed that the secrets of those allegedly involved would be exposed, to which Ubale responded, “Amen.”
The arrests come amid continuing security concerns in parts of Katsina State, where communities have faced attacks, kidnappings and other criminal activities linked to armed bandit groups.