Notorious Katsina bandit kingpin Audu Lankai has revealed that the memory of rustling cattles from victims years ago still moves him to tears, describing it as a moment he constantly seeks God’s forgiveness for.
Speaking in an interview with News Central TV, Lankai traced the origins of banditry in the Northwest to vigilante attacks that left many bandits, including himself, seeking revenge for slain parents. “Whoever kills your parent, one must take revenge. But back then, we had no reason to kill. I swear to God. Let me tell you something, there was a time I and my friend started stealing cattle for two years. Anytime I remember that, I resort to weeping. Even while I am praying, I must cry,” he said.
Once feared as one of the region’s most ruthless bandit leaders, Lankai now finds himself at a crossroads, caught between the weight of his past and a fragile hope for peace.
He has reportedly been urging fellow bandits across the Northwest to abandon violence and embrace a path toward peace, development, and a better future for their communities.
