Suspect Linked To Bandit Kingpin Kachalla Maha Reveals Group’s Operations, Admits Buying Food, Running Errands
Suspect Linked To Bandit Kingpin Kachalla Maha Reveals Group’s Operations, Admits Buying Food, Running Errands
Bakasati was then questioned about the operation during which seven people were killed in Sayaya around the Eid period.
Security operatives have arrested a man identified as Nura Bakasati in Sayaya, Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, over his alleged links to notorious bandit kingpin Kachalla Maha.
Maha’s group has been linked to several attacks and abductions in the area, including the abduction of the late retired General Rabe Abubakar and his wife.
The retired general reportedly died while in captivity.
In a video posted online by conflict reporter Bakatsine, Bakasati was questioned about his alleged relationship with Muhammadu, whom he identified as the person he worked for and who, according to his account, gave him cattle to rear and sent him on various errands.
During questioning conducted in Hausa, Bakasati also spoke about an operation in Sayaya in which seven people were killed, the movement of cattle, the purchase of food items for members of the group, and the delivery of ₦1 million to a man identified as Isiyaka in Matazu.
Asked to identify himself, Bakasati said: “My name is Nura Bakasati.”
He initially said he lived in Musa before clarifying that his family currently lived in Maraba Musa.
Asked why he left his previous location, he said he relocated after seven people were killed in the area.
“From that time, I moved to Maraba Musa,” he said.
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Bakasati said his relationship with Muhammadu started when he was given cattle to rear.
“From the beginning, I was given cattle to rear by him. I was sent to look after them for one year. Later, they were stolen,” he said.
“After that, I went and saw him, and he gave me more cattle to rear. Those were the ones he gave me. I started rearing them, and then this incident happened in the area where seven people were killed.
“After that happened, the people left the area because it became dangerous. Since I could no longer keep the cattle where I was staying, I took them back
“After I returned them, I was told to take them to the market and sell them. I went and sold them and brought the money back. After I brought the money, we parted ways. I would only go there occasionally. I would go to the farm, but I would return the following day.”
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Asked whether he continued working with Muhammadu after selling the cattle, Bakasati responded: “Yes, definitely.”
Bakasati was then questioned about the operation during which seven people were killed in Sayaya around the Eid period.
He said Muhammadu had instructed him to find people who could go to farm for him.
“Muhammadu told me to go and get people to farm for him,” he said.
Asked where he was expected to find the people, he replied: “Sayaya.”
Bakasati said he informed Muhammadu that there were not many people in Sayaya at the time.
“I came and told him, ‘Muhammadu, there are not many people in Sayaya now.’”
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He added that he had also told some of the people he found about the proposed farming work.
Asked what else he told Muhammadu, Bakasati said: “I told him, ‘But honestly, I know they will not come. For God’s sake, people do not normally come here for this kind of work when they are sent.’”
Asked whether he told Muhammadu that the people would not come, he responded: “Yes, I knew they would not come.”
He said they nevertheless remained in the area and continued farming.
“We stayed there farming around Rini,” he said.
According to Bakasati, several people were with him while they were farming, including Ali from Serema’s household, Mani, Idi Bango and Kawu Audu.
“There were Ali from Serema’s household, Mani, Idi Bango and others. There was also Kawu Audu. We were farming before we stopped and went to Muhammadu,” he said.
“While we were there, they told us, ‘Three of you…’ They said, ‘Why are you not working?’
“They told us that.
“Then they went into Sayaya town. We only saw them entering, and we stood up. Mani, Idi Bango and all the others witnessed it.
“They had not been sent there since the previous night. There was Ali, Kawu Audu and Kawu Laili.”
Asked whether those were the people he had been farming with, Bakasati replied: “Yes.”
He further explained that some of the men had approached them while they were farming.
“We were farming when they came and found us, including Mani.
“They asked us, ‘Why aren’t you working, you bastard?’
“We said, ‘By God, we are about to leave.’
“After that, they went towards Sayaya. When they got to Sayaya, we only heard gunshots and saw them entering the town.”
Bakasati said those who remained behind heard the gunshots and witnessed what happened from the outskirts of the town.
“We heard gunshots and they entered,” he said.
“After everything was over, when we heard that the town had become quiet, we then started running away. All of us left.”
Asked who he left with, Bakasati said: “With Mani and Idi Bango. We all left together after the shooting.”
The interviewer subsequently asked Bakasati where Muhammadu had met him when he instructed him to get people from Tsaye to farm for him.
Bakasati said he met Muhammadu at the place where he was staying.
Asked whether he went to meet him there, he replied: “Yes.”
He said the instruction was given two days before the operation.
“The day he told me, there were two days left before the operation,” Bakasati said.
“At the time he was going to come, he would normally first determine the situation. If you went to get people to work and they refused to come, then later he would send his men out there.
“They would go there, and whoever they found, depending on the situation, they would attack them. Whoever they could catch, they would shoot. That is what they followed.”
Asked what other duties he performed for Muhammadu apart from the assignment involving Tsaye, Bakasati said he was regularly sent on errands.
“‘Muhammadu sends me on errands. I buy spaghetti and cooking oil for him,” he said.
He added: “I also buy soft drinks for him.”
“Yes, definitely. He sends me to buy those things,” he said.
Bakasati also confirmed that he was not the only person allegedly involved in procuring supplies for the group.
Asked who else performed similar tasks, he named two people.
“There was someone they called Shagon Tuwo,” he said.
He also mentioned a man identified as Dangwal.
According to Bakasati, Dangwal was from Farin Tafki.
Asked whether Dangwal was also involved in buying spaghetti, cooking oil and other food items for the group, Bakasati said: “Yes.”
“So you were the ones doing this for them?” the interviewer asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
Bakasati was also questioned about money allegedly given, transferred or used for different purposes within the network.
He initially denied personally being involved in transferring money.
“I swear to God, I personally never followed money or went to transfer money for him,” he said.
However, he went on to describe an occasion when, according to him, Muhammadu gave money to Dangwal for safekeeping before instructing Bakasati to collect it with another man identified as Aminu Farin Tafki.
“But there was one occasion when he gave Dangwal money to keep for him. Then he told me to go with another person called Aminu Farin Tafki,” Bakasati said.
Asked to identify Aminu Farin Tafki, he confirmed the name.
“Yes. Dangwal came and collected the money for us. We went to take it to Isiyaka.”
When asked how much money was involved, Bakasati said: “Honestly, the money was one million naira.”
He said the money was taken to a man identified as Isiyaka, who he said lived in Matazu.
According to Bakasati, Isiyaka sells goods and specialises in motorcycle spare parts.
He also gave details of the location of Isiyaka’s shop.
“It is across the road from Gayen,” Bakasati said.
He added: “Yes, there is a barbershop close to the shop. He also sells meat there.”
Asked whether meat was sold at the location, Bakasati replied: “Yes. There are also dogs around the place.”
Asked whether he personally handed over the money, he replied: “Yes.”
When asked what the money was for, Bakasati said he did not know its purpose.
“Honestly, we only knew it was given to us to deliver. We were told to take it to him.”
Asked whether Dangwal was the person who initially received the money, he said: “Yes.”
He also confirmed that he was subsequently instructed to collect the money from Dangwal and take it to Isiyaka in Matazu.
Asked whether the killings occurred afterwards, he replied: “Yes, afterwards.”
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