To the many who have seen the video of some Zamfara bandits, seeking negotiations with the state government last week, the phrase above will be very familiar. It’s amazing how the bandits’ spokesman, who introduced himself as Mr Garba Ali, kept repeating this one line throughout his 4-minute-long speech. “IttaqilLah” is an Arabic phrase which literally means “Fear Almighty God” or “Have the fear of God”. It’s a cautionary phrase used to urge Mu…