The Katsina State Community Watch Corps (CWC) has arrested Alhaji Salisu Runka for allegedly acting as an informant for bandits in Runka town, located in the Safana Local Government Area of the state.

In a video posted by a conflict and crisis journalist in Northwest Nigeria, Bakatsine, on Wednesday, the suspect confessed to his role as an informant for the bandits terrorizing parts of Katsina State.

“I’m Alhaji Salisu Runka, and I promise to confess to the authorities about my involvement with bandits from beginning to end.

“I was arrested for allegedly serving as an informant to the bandits, and I agree that the allegations are true.”

Runka stated that no one forced him to confess, but that his secret was exposed as an informant for the bandits.

“Alhaji Ruga Kachala, Sani Maodinge, and Usman Mani Gurugu are the bandits I conspired with; some are in the forest while others stay in Runka village,” he said.

He confessed to have been aiding bandits as an informant for almost four years.

“There are people whom the bandits abducted, for whom I served as an informant to facilitate their abduction. I knew about all the invasions by the bandits into Runka village.

“During the first operation by the bandits, Alhaji Ruga Kachala called me to inform me that they would invade Runka village to abduct people. I provided them with the details of 12 people to abduct from Alhaji Ma’azu Runka’s house and also informed them about five people at Salmanu’s house,” he said.

He said after the operation, they gave him N400,000 as his share, while they collected N25 million in ransom along with two motorcycles.

“I worked together with Worewore Seriki Baki; he was the one who brought my share to me. He also stayed in Runka, and the bandits gave him N800,000, which we shared,” he said.

He stated that during the second incident, the bandits also called him to say they were coming to Runka, and he instructed them to proceed.

“They stormed Runka, shot sporadically, and killed two people,” he said.