Buhari Tsoho is his full name. He is believed to be the brain behind the series of horrific attacks on rural communities in Zamfara State. A notorious terrorist whose lieutenants called the “General,” a self-styled name he told them to call him.
For his notoriety, the Zamfara state residents gave him another name which strikes the very brutal nature of his persona, ‘Buharin Daji’, meaning, ‘Buhari of the Bush’ in Hausa language.
The Fulani man was born and brought up at Dandundun village in Maru local government area of Zamfara State, a source familiar with his family revealed.
Buharin Daji with microphone speaking to Government officials during arms give-up
‘Buharin Daji’ is said to be the mastermind of most of the deadly raids in rural communities in the state. Until recently, when the authorities engaged him in to peace dialogue, Buharin Daji was commanding the deadliest armed bandits in Zamfara, especially along the Maru-Anka-Bungudu-Tsafe axis.
A villager said of his arrogance and brutal side: “Whenever his gang goes for an attack, the aftermath is devastating. He has lots of weapons under his control. He would distribute rifles to his gang members in preparation for an attack after a community has been targeted. Sometimes he would hire out guns to members of other gangs.”
In early 2015, news filtered in that Buharin Daji was killed in a gunfire exchange with security operatives in the troubled Dansadau district. The communities were his gang had continuously attacked went into wild jubilation.
Also, an audio recording of a shoot-out was leaked of his death during the gunfire exchange with the security men. The audio clip was allegedly recorded by one of his henchmen using a phone during an encounter with security agents. In the clip, a voice was heard yelling and instructing the attackers to be brave, and to rescue Buhari. At some point, a voice was heard screaming, “They have killed our Buhari! We should stop running away. Some of you should stay and rescue our Buhari. Our Buhari is gone!”
But this was not to be true. He was never killed.
However, most of the residents in Zamfara, those in affected communities, have heard about him and his activities even though very few had a clue what he looks like, until recently when he agreed to repent.
He was initially seen a peaceful, harmless man in the village until he took to banditry.
“We used to see him in our village, especially when he comes to buy stuff at the market. His relationship with other residents was cordial then. Later, for reasons best known to him, he took up guns and became a criminal. After he joined the bandits, he alienated himself,” a villager who knows him very well but prefer not to be mentioned said.
Another villager privy with inside information said that, when Buharin Daji finally gave up arms in a peaceful dialogue that involved the state’s government led by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakkala Muhammad and the military, he gave his grouse for taking to banditry saying, “their major problem is the vigilante group known as ‘Yan Sakai’ whom he accused of taking the law into their hands by killing innocent Fulani nomads for no just cause, without any redress from the government. This, according to him was what prompted the herdsmen and his gang to take up arms for what he called self-defence.”
The source said Buharin Daji also complained that all the grazing routes and reserves were turned to farmland by politicians and traditional rulers. In the end, he promised to observe all the peace agreements and suspend further retaliatory attacks, provided the government pressures local security to stop extra-judicial arrests and killings of innocent Fulani nomads.
The deputy governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Wakkala Muhammad had led top military and police officials to Gobirawa Chali village in the troubled Dansadau district of Maru LGA of the state to hold peace talks with the armed bandits.
The peace meeting was also attended by top military and police officers from Kaduna and Zamfara, including Emir of Dansadau Alhaji Hussaini Umar, Abdullahi Maikano Dansadau and Maru local Government Council chairman, Salisu Isah Dangulbi among others.
The deputy governor said Zamfara state Government had found it imperative to have a peace dialogue between the government and all armed groups in the state. He said the state government would support any collective peace negotiations with armed bandits, but the peace process must focus on achieving long-lasting peace.
Before Buhar of the bush agreed to surrender arms with his gang, over a thousand armed bandits, in December 2015, surrendered their weapons and renounced armed banditry and other crimes at Gidan Jaja village in Zurmi LGA of the state. The political and military leadership engaged the armed bandits and cattle rustlers in the state in a series of peace talks in the latest move to bring the wanton destruction of lives and property in the state to an end.
It was after this surrender of the bandits that Buharin Daji finally gave up arms.
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