Bello Ismail: Brutalised By Katsina Vigilantes, Cries For Justice

Bello Ismail, popularly known as Babawo, still bears the physical and emotional scars of a night he says changed his life forever. What began as a misunderstanding between two acquaintances, he told LEADERSHIP in Katsina, ended with him being beaten into unconsciousness by local vigilantes.

From his Dayi home in Malumfashi local government area of Katsina State, Bello recounted how trouble started when he was informed that a man he identified as Ahmadu Lawal was looking for him.

He said, “I was surprised because we are friends. If he wanted to see me, he could have called. We eventually met on a particular night, where I noticed that he was visibly angry.

“I greeted him and asked if everything was alright, but he rained insults on my parents and me. I tried to avoid any confrontation by walking away. At this point, he blocked me and a fight ensued,” Bello narrated.

Shortly after the incident, Ahmadu Lawal, whom he identified as the son of the district head (Mai Unguwa) of the town, reported him to a local vigilante group, popularly known as C-Watch (Community Watch Corps) in Dayi.

The vigilante operatives arrived and took him away.

He continued: “They collected my phones and personal belongings. They did not tell me what offence I committed. What followed was brutalisation. One of them said, ‘Let’s do what we were sent to do,’ and they beat me to a stupor. I lost consciousness and passed out; I lay in a pool of my blood.”

When he regained consciousness, Bello said he was taken before the vigilante commander, who confirmed ordering the maltreatment.

“He told me clearly that he instructed them to give me 20 lashes of the cane because I fought with the son of the Mai Unguwa,” Bello said.

His plea to be allowed to seek medical attention for the injuries inflicted on him was rejected.

“I was in pain and bleeding from the head. I managed to escape and ran to a police station, where the officers intervened.

At the police station, Bello contacted his employers for assistance. Shockingly, the matter was declared “settled” without his consent or that of his parents.

“They said everything had been resolved, but I was not part of that settlement. My parents were not consulted. I am the victim. I want justice. I am claiming damages for the injuries I suffered and the blood that I shed. This is not a family issue. This is about assault and abuse of power,” he said.

When contacted on the phone, the commander of the vigilante group in the area, Alhaji Lawal Auiu, confirmed the incident, describing it as a family affair that had been resolved.

The Katsina State Police Command spokesperson, Sadiq Abubakar Aliyu, who also confirmed the incident, stated that the divisional police officer (DPO) of the area and the Community Watch commander were working to bring both parties together for proper reconciliation.

The incident has renewed public concern over the conduct of vigilante groups, particularly in rural communities where informal security structures often operate with limited oversight.