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Tag: banditry

  • Banditry: Combined military operations restoring peace in beleaguered Kwara communities

    Banditry: Combined military operations restoring peace in beleaguered Kwara communities

    • Six wounded terrorists hospitalised in Omu-Aran

    Although it is not yet uhuru in parts of Kwara State with regard to the threats of insecurity, peace is gradually returning to a few of the affected communities. Bandits and other non-state actors have in the last one year held six local government areas in Kwara South and North regions by the jugular.

    The invasion of the massive forests of Ekiti, Ifelodun, Oke-Ero and Isin local government areas in Kwara South and Edu and Patigi in Kwara North has left in its wake summary termination of lives, dislocations and disruption of normal activities. The scary development had temporarily turned the once serene agrarian communities into desolate habitations, with Eruku, Babanla, Oke-Ode and Gbugbu in Kwara South and North as some of the worst hit last year.

    Some members of these communities are yet to come to terms with the reality of life. Some fleeing members had returned while others were still taking refuge on the outskirts of Ilorin, the state capital, it was gathered.

    An indigene of Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, where scores of vigilantes were gunned down late last year, said the community is now bubbling with life. In Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area where some Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) worshippers were killed and about 30 kidnapped last year, the monarch, Owa Busari Olarenwaju, hailed the swift intervention of the security personnel. He said that life was gradually returning to his domain.

    But the Coordinator, Joint Security Watch in Kwara South, Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, told The Nation that the people who fled their communities would not be able to fully return until the completion of the ongoing security operations. “Only a few of them have returned. Until the conclusion of the ongoing efforts on forests clearing through the joint military operations, it may not be visible,” Oyin-Zubair said.

    He reported a fresh kidnap incident on Idofin–Odo, Aga–Olla Rroad, where two women and a young boy were abducted by suspected bandits. “One elderly woman has been released. Another escaped. But the young boy remains in captivity. Security agencies are intensifying efforts to ensure his safe rescue,” he said.

    Oyin-Zubair added that sustained military air and ground operations across parts of Kwara State have forced armed bandits to flee their forest hideouts, leading to the destruction of several criminal camps and neutralisation of over 100 terrorists. The security operation is code-named “Operation India.”

    According to him, the offensive targeted major bandit enclaves in Baba Sango and other forests spanning Ifelodun, Edu and Patigi local government areas, where airstrikes and ground bombardments were carried out by the military in collaboration with other security agencies.

    He revealed that intelligence reports confirmed that many of the fleeing bandits sustained gunshot injuries, with six of them currently receiving treatment at Omu Aran General Hospital, while others were believed to have relocated towards Ekiti Local Government Area around the Isapa axis.

    He commended the forest guards in Ekiti and Oke-Ero local government areas for their swift response and bravery in repelling bandits and preventing their movement into the communities.

    “Their vigilance and courage have played a vital role in securing Ekiti and Oke-Ero LGAs and blocking the infiltration of fleeing criminals,” he added.

    Read Also: Governor Lawal renews synergy against banditry 

    Oyin-Zubair urged residents of Kwara South and neighbouring communities to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security agencies by reporting suspicious movements or strange faces in their areas. “The bandits may attempt to regroup in new locations. Community alertness is critical at this time as authorities continue operations to restore lasting peace across the state,” he said.

    Security agencies have assured residents of sustained military presence in the affected forests until all criminal elements are flushed out and normalcy is fully restored, he said.

    Based on the ongoing Operation India, two local government areas of Ifelodun and Edu have imposed a 24-hour curfew on communities in the areas. The curfew affects the entire Oro-Ago District in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, the council chairman Hadji Abdulrasheed Yusuf said in a statement.

    The curfew is aimed at supporting ongoing security operation in the area. Oro-Ago has one of the longest forests housing bandits in Ifelodun Local Government Area. The LG chair added: “The curfew goes into effect by 6 am on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in a coordinated effort to put terrorists in disarray and protect lives and property in the area.

    “Within this period, there will be no human or vehicular traffic in the entire district. This is in support of the ongoing security clearance operation in the area. Further reviews of this measure will be communicated.”

    In Edu LGA, the Council Chair Abdullahi Bello announced a 24-hour curfew on Gbugbu community, including the popular international market in Gbugbu. Bello added that the curfew was effective from 6pm on Tuesday, January 27.

    He said: “The curfew is part of the measures to protect lives and property in the area as security forces continue their operation in areas of interest.

    “This means human and vehicular movement is prohibited in the area under curfew. This is a security decision.”

    Sadly, a security source said the operations were being hampered by moles and informants in different communities, who give out information about troops’ movements.

    “Residents need to be vigilant. They need to speak up about the informants who give out information on troops’ movements. This is important for more success,” the source added.

    As part of the efforts to restore peace in bandits-ravaged communities, late last year, about 1,000 forest guards in the state graduated from training. The guards have already been deployed to curtail the activities of terrorists, kidnappers and illegal miners in the state.

    Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq called the initiative a game changer, which he said would leave the terrorists and kidnappers with the option of either leaving the state or paying a heavy prize. He commended President Bola Tinubu for “thinking out of the box” to repossess Nigeria’s forest resources, expel all the bad faith actors occupying the forests, and strengthen public safety.

    Governor AbdulRazaq also thanked the security forces for their commitment to protecting lives, saying a synergy with the new auxiliary forces who were all drawn from local communities will strengthen the campaign to fight terrorists and kidnappers.

    Governor AbdulRazaq said: “Today opens a new page in our campaign against all forms of terrorism, kidnapping, and opportunist attacks on our people by bad faith actors who exploit our vast territories for evil purposes.

    “The enlistment of armed forest guards to complement the patriotic efforts of our security forces is a game changer in this campaign.

    “It shows very clearly that the government is committed to the mission of ridding our country of all forms of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

    “And the message is very clear: more than ever before, the terrorists now have the option of immediately leaving our state or paying a heavy price.

    “Today’s launch of the forest guards simply means that we are going on the offensive because our people deserve their peace as freeborns. We have had enough! Anyone who thinks or acts otherwise is our enemy who will not be spared.

    “Distinguished forest guards, you are embarking on a national assignment to protect our people from all criminals in our forests.

    “Working with gallant officers and personnel of the security forces, you are to go all out to flush out the terrorists, restore sanity in our forests, and keep our communities safer than they ever were.

    “I commend the President of the Federal Republic for this bold policy response to the security situation in our country and the larger Sahel Region.

    “I thank the leadership of the National Security Adviser for pulling this through. I am also confident that all the security forces will work together with the forest guards to end this menace once and for all.

    “More importantly, I urge the people of Kwara State to work with the security forces and the forest guards to flush out the terrorists and make our state uninhabitable for them.

    “While the forest guards are auxiliaries under the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Security, I assure you of our continuous support for this initiative just like we have done throughout your training.

     “Working with the ONSA, our plan is to ensure that each local government has at least 200 forest guards who will fortify our forests and work with local vigilantes to protect lives and property. 

    “I congratulate all the new forest guards. I thank you for agreeing to serve our state, and I reassure you of our continuous support as you embark on this important national security assignment. 

    “Finally, I thank all the security forces who were involved in the rigorous training programme. You all did so well. God bless you.”

     On his part, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said the newly trained forest guards would be deployed immediately to threatened communities in the pilot states, particularly around forested and ungoverned spaces.

    “The mandate of the forest guards is two-fold. First, they are entrusted with guarding our national heritage and charged with protecting, preserving, and sustainably managing our forest ecosystems, watersheds, wildlife, and biodiversity.

    “Secondly, they serve as a critical force multiplier in our national security architecture, particularly in confronting bandits, insurgents, terrorists, and other criminal elements that are exploiting the vast, ungoverned forest spaces across the country for their heinous crimes.”

    Represented by the Assistant Director General for DSS, Femi Shotayo, the NSA added: “Aside from being first responders, these guards are expected to gather actionable human intelligence, support ongoing security operations, and restore state presence where it has long been absent.”

    He said the deployment of the guards will be immediate along with payment of salaries and allowances.

    Ribadu urged the trainees to abide by their oaths of allegiance to the Nigerian state and to respect human rights, gender rights, and protection of civilians, among other rules of engagement taught at the training.

    “The oath of allegiance is not a mere formality; it is a binding pledge of loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, obedience to lawful authority, and commitment to the protection of lives, property and the Constitution.

    “By this act, you formally accept the sacred responsibility entrusted to you by the Nigerian state.

    “You are henceforth bound to uphold discipline, professionalism, respect for human rights, and the highest standards of conduct in the execution of your duties,” he said.

    As a pre-emptive measure not to be caught off guard, the state government announced an extension of the closure of primary and secondary schools in concerned communities. It also announced a temporary closure of the state College of Education in Oro, Kwara South; a step indigenes of the community have hailed to high heavens.

    The indigenes, under the aegis of Oro Professional Forum (OPF) backed the state government’s decision to temporarily shutdown academic activities at the College of Education, Oro, over insecurity.   

  • Banditry, extremism and family culpability

    Banditry, extremism and family culpability

    Former Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf, an oncologist, has as usual been talking up a storm over the Bola Tinubu administration’s plan to fight banditry and insecurity in general with every determination the government can summon. Tragically, some northerners, to whom he has directed his inciting rhetoric, appear convinced that he is the genuine article. On the one hand, the fight against insurgency in the Northeast has reached a crushing and intense level. It may be plagued by half measures, such as deradicalisation and rehabilitation of insurgents after capture or after surrender, especially ahead of their victims still marooned in refugee camps, but any indication that the counterinsurgency efforts were directed against the Kanuri has since subsided. On the other hand, however, the campaign against banditry in the Northwest appears bogged down in ethnic and religious rhetoric incomparable with any zealotry the country has seen since independence in 1960.

    The press, which today is largely against the Tinubu administration, loves to get the opinion of the eminent Prof. Yusuf. Last week he regaled the media again with his careless summation of the fight against banditry. His previous staple of deconstructing Boko Haram within the ambit of his zealous ratiocinations is no longer as marketable as it once was. He is not Kanuri. His new pastime is banditry, an affinity he shares with Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a notable northern Islamic cleric famous for his sympathies for bandits. Reacting to a question on the Nigerian Defence minister’s logic about fighting banditry to its logical conclusion, the oncologist argued that such a fight would unfairly target the Fulani and indicate prejudice against that race. He was more worried about the atrocities he claimed security agencies and Hausa vigilantes were meting out to the Fulani than respond to the cruelty and economic sabotage occasioned by the bandits.

    Never known to mince words on the painful subject of insecurity, Prof. Yusuf had said: “We strongly reject any plan by Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, to wage war against Fulani bandits. He must understand that he is now a political office holder, not a battlefield soldier, and therefore has a duty to listen to the people. We do not support a full-scale military campaign against Fulani bandits. What we demand is dialogue and non-violent solutions, not endless warfare. Any insistence on military confrontation will ultimately fail. We have firsthand experience. We have entered forests where bandit leaders are located, engaged directly, and witnessed the devastation caused by military operations and vigilante groups (Yan Banga). In reality, these bandits see themselves as freedom fighters.”

    It is true that sometimes dialogue resolves a number of sore issues in a society, but that would depend on what the causes of those sore issues are. There have been suggestions that socio-economic factors are to blame for banditry, amidst a number of other causes, including farmers-herdsmen clashes mostly instigated by shrinking grazing reserves. However, it is not clear what kind of dialogue Prof. Yusuf wants. Most Northwest states had at one time or the other entered into dialogue with the bandits, as a former Katsina State governor Aminu Masari once exasperatedly noted, but each time a truce was reached, and handsome money paid out, it was followed by only very brief spells of peace. After those spells, vicious campaigns of pillage and abductions often and constantly resumed, each campaign signposted by extreme cruelty disproportionate to the alleged cause of the disagreement between the bandits and locals.

    The governors who dialogued with the bandits and later resigned to fate are themselves Fulani. So what kind of dialogue do Prof. Yusuf and Sheikh Gumi want? While the beginnings of banditry so-called might be reasonably attributed to farmers-herdsmen clashes, they have in recent years, especially in light of the rampant and lawless artisanal mining ravaging the Northwest and parts of North Central, morphed into very lucrative kidnapping business. In turn, the kidnapping business is morphing into jihadist fantasies as the Mamuda, Lakurawa, and Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (Arabic for “Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims”), an expanding Salafi-jihadist organisation and al-Qaeda affiliate in the Sahel region of West Africa, take firm root in the Northwest. Some northern political leaders, particularly the progressive ones, are painfully aware of the dangers constituted by these groups, and the fact that banditry, not to talk of the short-sighted political rhetoric of some northern governors, opened the doors to the hyenas to ravage Nigeria.

    What is raging in the North, which Nigeria as a country has taken an unduly long time to adequately respond to, is more than a civil war between the Hausa and Fulani, or between farmers and pastoralists. A more formidable but less obvious war is also raging below the surface between the reactionary and conservative political elite in the region versus the progressive and fairly liberal political and business elite of the North. The former are cocooned in religious conservatism which they see as the be-all and end-all of life, and the second are insistent that whatever ideologies are introduced into the system must birth progress and advance the cause of mankind in a world constantly evolving through scientific and technological wonders. The fierceness of the war is indicated more poignantly in the fears of the first group as they desperately seek to prevent the inevitability of the progress advocated by the second group. The Northeast has taken an awful long time to recognise the madness they once seemed generally enamoured of. On the other hand, the Northwest is tragically the new epicenter of a deathly fight likely to determine the future of Nigeria in more ways than the erratic and infantile self-determination struggles of IPOB’s Nnamdi Kanu or the complacent and rose-coloured liberal lenses through which the Southwest has chosen to view Nigeria.

    Weeks after the United States president Donald Trump threatened to bomb terrorists and their sponsors in Nigeria and also warned against political and criminal justice part of sharia, a warning amplified by some Nigerians particularly from the Middle Belt, a group of Islamic clerics disseminated a video in which they scathingly condemned Nigerians who denounced sharia as both divisive and unconstitutional and also dared the US to do their worst. Watching the video, no one is left in doubt as to the fierceness of the conservatism Nigeria must contend with in order to make progress, or the depth of indoctrination and radicalisation that has infected the body politic. Mr Trump’s war of words, which is not limited to Nigeria or even Africa, but is directed indiscriminately, including at Europe, may grate on the nerves of Nigerians, but in no part of his declarations against Nigeria or his warmongering did he say he would bomb Muslims. But his threats have been appropriated by the clerics, and their ire directed at mostly Middle Belt Christians. The threats, expansively interpreted, have encouraged the divisive former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai and many others to amplify religiously and politically divisive posts on social media.

    Little introspection is going on over the Nigerian condition in many parts of the North as leaders and communities double down on their extreme positions. No lessons are learnt from the tragedy that took place on Australia’s Bondi beach where two radicalised persons, a father and his son, took up arms and enacted a slaughter directed against Jews. Indications are that they were influenced by the Israel-Gaza war, which in many circles has been equated with a war between Muslims and Jews instead of a war over land and living space. Even in Nigeria, and shockingly among the enlightened, any crisis or conflict between Palestinians and Israel is often seen as a war between Christians and Muslims. Such intensely binary view of conflict is also indicated in Nigeria where every disagreement balances on the fulcrum of ethnicity or religion, and seldom on issues, ideology, political platforms or even class division. This binary treatment of issues has permeated families, leading to the radicalisation of children and household members compelled to view life through the prism of religion or ethnicity. But it is not only political opportunists like Mallam el-Rufai, or former vice president Atiku Abubakar, or former governor Peter Obi all of whom recklessly appealed to ethnic and religious sentiments during the 2023 elections. Many other political leaders are guilty of the same sins. The radicalisation has now ended up producing millions of extremists, some of them operating from closets, and constituting existential danger to Nigeria’s fragile unity, stability and development.

    Read Also: Tambuwal seek US support for Nigeria’s security fight

    Addressing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee meeting late last week in Abuja, President Tinubu underscored the fragility of Nigeria in his promise to go all-out against non-state actors and terrorists. The truth is that he has no choice, caught as he is between the US rock and Nigeria’s insecurity hard place. But almost immediately, revisionists like Prof. Yusuf decided to ethnicise the war against terror as if Fulani and Muslims were to be specially targeted, just as Mallam el-Rufai has painted a dismal but fallacious picture of Muslims being purged from office and power. Such incendiary and opaque views are believed to resonate in some parts of the North, especially among the gullible. However, Nigeria’s economic indicators show that if growth is not sustained at a high level, the country’s rising and unchecked population could trigger chaos or revolution. But how can growth be assured when insecurity gulps a significant proportion of national resources, not to talk of young men and women consumed by needless war in at least four regions of the country?

    As the northern elite take their eyes off the ball in a wild goose chase for ethnic and religious advantage, they have virtually forgone billions of dollars in tourism revenue. (Kenya makes about $3.5bn annually). The North has multiple tourist destinations either in game reserves or other destinations: Yankari and Borgu game reserves, Mambilla Plateau, Gurara Waterfalls, Wikki Warm Springs, Kajuru Castle, and dozens more. No one visits those exotic and beautiful destinations anymore. Tribe and religion, and years of indulging northern youths and neglecting to curb their bloody tendencies when they were still amenable to control, continue to rob the region of huge earnings. The region’s dominant political and business elite concentrate on Abuja and political power, gorge on oil earnings, and by their incompetence and exploitative orientation impoverish their population. No elite and no generation have been so irresponsible. Worse, no remedies are being conceived or applied save in a few states led by modern and progressive governors who see no future in the bestial return to atavism overtaking the region.

    The disintegration of Somalia, the ongoing civil war in Sudan, the irresolvable chaos of Libya, and the coup-ridden countries of West Africa offer no lessons. That was why Russian flags were hoisted in parts of the North during hardship protests in August 2024, and why some members of the elite sold the idea of a coup d’etat, a bait bought by some incurable optimists unable to appreciate that Nigeria had become too big, too exposed, and even too fractious to fall under the magic wand of military officers. The times have changed, ethnic and religious differences have ossified, and political divisions have become intractable. It is sheer fantasy to expect that a country of more than 230 million people can consequently be mesmerised by a few officers armed with guns, a coup speech, and promises of utopia which their military ancestors failed to midwife for the more than 28 years they seized power and wrecked the country. Reforms are being undertaken, even if imperfect, and democracy, though it continues to wobble, is taking roots. There is free speech, rule of law, freedom of conscience whether they are what they are cracked up to be or not. If the elite will not eschew the madness that is consuming them and find ways of minimising the differences that unsettle them, and if they continue to embrace and wink at the waspish rhetoric of yesterday’s men like Prof. Yusuf and Mallam el-Rufai, then they most brace for calamity, for it will come as surely as day follows night.

  • How to crush banditry, by Salis

    How to crush banditry, by Salis

    First Nigerian Astronaut, Chief Owolabi Salis, has urged the Federal Government to deploy decisive and pragmatic measures to tackle banditry and insurgent activities.

    Speaking against the backdrop of speculations by security experts warning of possible escalation of terrorist attacks, the lawyer-politician called for concerted efforts to address the menace.

    He urged President Bola Tie  first Black man to travel to the North and South Pole within a season,  advocated an urgent need for Nigeria to evolve into a military super-power, armed to the teeth with sophisticated modern weapons that essentially inspire awe and formidable presence in the global military arena.

    He said this is necessary in view of the natural demographic attribute of Nigeria as accommodating  the greatest number of blacks both in Africa and diaspora.

    He  emphasised the need to embark on massive recruitment into all arms of the military for sufficient numerical superiority capable of responding with impregnable resilience and adroit competence  to multi-faceted areas of threat.

    “Meaningful efforts also need be made not only to boost sagging morale of the existing fighting force,but also attract a massive flow of prospective entrants, by reviewing their meagrely earnings to a meaningful proportion commensurate to the life-saving nature of their job and the ever looming danger to their own lives,” Salis added.

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    He described  the death of  the one-star General  in the hands of the violent Islamic fundamentalist militants (ISWAP) as an unfortunate experience which has sent an awry signal to the larger global world on the severe limitations that rattle the multi-faceted segments of the  Defence sector.

     “It was particularly horrible that a whole army of a nation   which should constitute a terrific dread-nought terror to enemies and armed to the teeth at all times had to fight itself to a frightful escape rather than formidably stand up to rout the bandits ruthlessly to supine stupor.

    “Unfortunately this was not to be,as the bandits armed with superior fire-power overwhelmed a whole standing national army, putting them in disarray to the point that an elevated top brass officer of the rank of Brigadier-General equally had to run away for dear life,only to be caught so cheap by the enemy and slaughtered like a chicken,” he said.

    He added:  “The Battalion of soldiers that he led knew quite well that their commander was missing,yet they ran away with such unabashed  fright and cowardliness leaving him in such harsh lonely isolation to face his fate without any attempt to instantly fight their way through to save his life”

    “This indeed is not only  unfortunate but one expose too many and irredeemably costly as it has gone a long way in demystifying the nation laying it vulnerable and liable to be taken for granted by lesser nations who may see it as a clay-feet giant which can only bark and not bite.

    “Although it’s been weeks now,that this unfortunate episode had transpired, however, as a human being with a sense of empathy, a Nigerian and a bread winner, this experience has stared so scaringly at me, spawning such a monstrous nightmare that I could hardly sleep as fleeting flights of imaginations have endlessly continued ever since,to run riot within me on what the unfortunate Brigadier would have gone through at the last moment of his life and the permanent trauma which the horrible experience would forever cast in the collective psyche of the family he left behind.”

  • Senators, Reps rise against terrorism, banditry, killings

    Senators, Reps rise against terrorism, banditry, killings

    • Kidnapping, terrorism to attract death penalty

    • With concerted efforts, we’ll defeat insurgency, says Gen. Musa

    To strengthen the battle against terrorism and banditry, the National Assembly yesterday proposed stiff penalties for kidnappings and other forms of violence.

    The measures include imposition of the death penalty on convicted kidnappers, financiers and informants; ban on ransom payment, stoppage of negotiation with terrorists, and classification of kidnapping as terrorism.

    The Senate took the hardline stance against the worsening wave of kidnapping after the debate on a bill seeking to amend the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

    The purpose of the amendment is to designate kidnapping, hostage-taking and related offences as acts of terrorism.

    The amendment, sponsored by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, also seeks to empower security agencies with expanded operational and intelligence tools to dismantle kidnapping networks nationwide.

    Also, the House of Representatives, which debated the security emergency, recommended that security expenditure should be placed on a ‘First Line Charge’ to guarantee predictable and timely funding.

    The House also passed a resolution that all approved security budgets must be fully and promptly disbursed.

    Both chambers of the National Assembly sought an immediate end to terrorism on a day the nominee for Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, was cleared by the Senate after screening.

    Gen. Musa, who is likely to be sworn in today by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declared that he would not negotiate with any terrorist.

    He also urged government to ban illegal mining and procure drones to fight insurgency.

    Why we want to amend terrorism bill, by Bamidele

    Justifying their call for stiff sanctions against terror, senators from across party lines argued that the scale, brutality and growing sophistication of kidnapping were embarrassing.

    Leading the debate, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the amendment was necessary because kidnapping had evolved into a militarised and commercialised criminal enterprise

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    He said: “What were once isolated incidents have escalated into coordinated, commercialised, and militarised acts of violence perpetrated by organised criminal groups.”

    Bamidele lamented that kidnapping had crippled economic activities, driven fear across communities, disrupted education, bankrupted families through ransom payments, and claimed countless lives.

    He said classifying the crime as terrorism would give security agencies capacity for broader arrests and investigative, intelligence and asset-tracing powers under counter-terrorism laws.

    Bamidele stressed: “The bill prescribes the death penalty, not only for perpetrators, but also for their financiers, informants, logistics suppliers, harbourers, transporters and anyone who knowingly provides support.

    “Attempts, conspiracy and incitement to kidnap would attract the same punishment. This strong deterrent is necessary to confront kidnapping at the scale it currently operates.”

    The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, Adams Oshiomhole, criticised the deradicalisation programmes that allow dangerous offenders to escape justice.

    He said: “Some of these people return to the same crimes after release. No more deradicalisation. If you are caught and convicted for terrorism, the penalty should be death.”

    Senator Orji Uzor Kalu said the Senate was united behind the bill, stressing that informants and sponsors should face the same consequences as kidnappers.

    He added: “Nigerians have suffered in the hands of kidnappers. Young girls have been raped. Women have become widows for no reason. This must stop.”

    Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro described the bill as “straightforward” and urged swift passage, noting that kidnapping had become a lucrative criminal enterprise that the state must decisively crush.

    Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) condemned the growing trend of kidnapping for ransom and the killing of victims after payments.

    He called for the bill to extend its reach to collaborators, including financial institutions that enable ransom transactions.

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided, referred the bill to the committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters (lead committee), National Security and Intelligence, and Interior for further legislative action and to report back in two weeks

    Reps seek first line charge for security budget

    The House of Representatives recommended that security expenditure should be placed on a ‘First Line Charge’ to guarantee predictable and timely funding.

    The House also recommended that financiers of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping should be publicly named, sanctioned and prosecuted, adding that terrorism-related prosecutions should be open, expeditious and transparent.

    The House canvassed the prohibition of ransom payments and informal amnesty negotiations by government agencies.

    During the plenary, the House resolved to forward to the Senate for concurrence before its transmission to the executive arm,  state governments, security agencies and other relevant institutions for urgent implementation

    Noting the established link between cash-based economies and the financing of terrorism, banditry, ransom payments and other criminal enterprises, the House recommended a phased strengthening of cashless transaction frameworks nationwide.

    It urged the executive, the Central Bank and financial institutions to expand and upgrade e-banking infrastructure, particularly in rural areas.

    According to the lawmakers, enhanced digital payment systems, transaction monitoring mechanism and financial-crime analytics should be integrated into national security operations.

    The House said a special court should be established for terrorism, banditry and kidnapping trial, while penalties for arms trafficking and illegal possession of weapons should be strictly enforced.

    The House said security coverage for schools, worship centres, markets and other soft targets should be strengthened through coordinated preventive measures and improved rapid-response capacity.

    The lawmakers stressed that all public CCTV systems should be reactivated, upgraded, and, where necessary, complemented with new installations, and integrated into a national and sub-national surveillance grid.

    The House said the deployment of police and military personnel for VIP protection should be significantly reduced, with a clear downscaling of security details attached to political officeholders, in full compliance with the presidential directive.

    The lawmakers said intelligence gathering at the community level should be strengthened and systematically linked to national systems, while border security should be treated as a national emergency.

    Reps condemn killing of Kebbi security personnel

    The House of Representatives condemned the assault on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) outpost in Bakin Ruwa, Kebbi State, on November 27, and the killing of three Immigration officers.

    A minute silence was observed in their honour.

    Moving a motion of urgent public importance, a lawmaker, Bello Ka’oje, lamented that Kebbi, once regarded as one of the most peaceful states in Northwest, has come under repeated attacks in recent months.

    He noted that Bagudo Local Government, which shares an international boundary with Republic of Benin, hosts several federal security posts, including NIS and NCS checkpoints at Bakin Ruwa and Maje, as well as multiple police formations.

    These facilities, he said, have now become frequent targets for criminals seeking to carve out operational bases in the area.

    Ka’oje said the latest killings mirrored earlier attacks, including the November 10 assault on the Nigeria Customs Service outpost in Maje where a Customs officer was killed, and the attack on a police outpost in the same community on October 19, which led to the death of a police officer.

    He said intelligence had suggested that the Lakurawa bandits attempted to turn the Soda Forest in Bagudo council into a hideout, while also using the hills in Suru Local Government as a camp where kidnapped victims are held before ransom negotiations.

    Ka’oje stressed that the pattern of attacks reflected a broader attempt by the bandits to entrench themselves in Kebbi North, posing significant threats to national security and cross-border safety because of the state’s proximity to Benin Republic.

    Trump can’t solve Nigeria’s problems, says Yari

    Senator Abdulazeez Yari  (Zamfara West) called for an internal solution to lingering insecurity, stressing that no outsider, including President Donald Trump of United States, can solve the problems.

    Yari spoke in Abuja during the official kick off of “One Nigeria Project”, organised by National Association of Former Local Government Council Chairmen (NALGON).

    The former governor of Zamfara State argued that political elite in the country are capable of solving the challenges, including insecurity, without help from abroad.

    Yari said: “It is time we come together, remain together and put the interest of Nigeria first.

    “To our elite, what is the problem? You don’t love your country. If Nigeria goes down today, do you have another country?

    “Stop calling on Trump. Trump has no business in Nigeria. He cannot solve the problems of Nigeria. The problem of Nigeria will be solved by Nigerians.”

    He added: “I am not driven by sentiment or fear. I understand that many who make damning remarks about Nigeria hold multiple passports. But I have only one passport—the Nigerian green passport—and I carry it with pride. Wherever I have travelled, I went as a visitor by choice, not because I had another country to fall back on.

    “Those who hold dual citizenship sometimes forget the weight of their words because they have somewhere else to run to. Their families have alternatives; we do not. Our roots, our homes, and our families are here. We have no other place to call our own.

    “That is why we will continue to speak the truth, stand firm, and remain committed to Nigeria. And despite our criticisms, we will continue to work and pray for this country—and for its leaders—to succeed. Because their success is not for personal gains; it is for collective gains.

    “When those entrusted with the leadership of the country do the right thing, the positive impact comes back to all of us.”

    Former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, said local government administration requires maximum support to eliminate insecurity.

    He argued that the security challenges in the country are surmountable if the government can engage those who are closest to the people at the grassroots level.

    The former Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, who is also a former local government chairman, urged Nigerians to support President Tinubu’s administration and do away with sentiments.

    He said: “Governors should ensure that money meant for local governments get to them. We need to ensure that there is equity, justice, and fairness in what we do.”

    Ndume: Army should be on First Line Charge

    Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume urged former CDS, Gen. Musa, to push for the inclusion of Army in the First Line Charge, to ensure seamless disbursements of fund.

    He said statutory transfers will remove the bureaucratic bottlenecks which often hinder prompt procurement of arms and ammunition needed for operations at theatres.

    Ndume said: “While I commend him on his appointment which most Nigerians have acknowledged that he deserves, he should convince his boss, the President and Commander-in-Chief on the need to put the Nigerian Army on First Line Charge.

    “Aside adequate funding of the Army, Navy and the Air Force, prompt disbursement of funds is very important. He should ensure that the military gets its capital budget in full, because if they don’t get the fund,operations will suffer.

    “Security of life and property is very important.  It is enshrined in the Constitution as the purpose of government to the citizens and we should stop paying lip service to it.

    “There should be  no justification for delay in release of funds for the military for procurement and its other strategic needs.”

    The lawmaker also appealed to the former Chief of Defence Staff to take more than a passing interest on welfare of military personnel, particularly their remuneration.

    He said: “My position on a better welfare for our Armed Forces is already in the public domain. They are not the best paid in the West African sub-region. Something must be done urgently about this to convince them that we value the sacrifice that they continue to make for the rest of us.”

    Former Senate President Ahmad Lawan reinforced the point, saying that the Armed Forces could not continue operating “with bare hands against fire.”

    He called for “massive, sustained funding” in the 2026 budget.

  • Closing schools means ‘surrender, not protection’, says VIEW

    Closing schools means ‘surrender, not protection’, says VIEW

    A prominent coalition of Northern women leaders has sharply criticised the widespread closure of schools across Niger, Kebbi and other northern states following the recent wave of mass abductions, warning that government actions amount to “panic, not protection.”

    The Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW) said it was “horrified” by what it described as Nigeria’s deepening security collapse, stressing that the crisis had now moved beyond ordinary insecurity.

    “This is no longer insecurity. It is terror,” the group declared in a statement signed by leading Northern advocates including Asmau Joda, Maryam Uwais, Mairo Mandara, Aisha Oyebode, Fatima Akilu, Kadaria Ahmed and Larai Ocheja Amusan.

    VIEW recalled that only last week it urged authorities to act swiftly after the abduction of schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, and the mass kidnapping of more than 300 children and teachers from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.

    But the group said it was alarmed that authorities responded by shutting more schools instead of strengthening protection.

    “Instead of responding with strategy, urgency and courage, we are witnessing decisions that reflect panic rather than protection,” the statement said.

    “The announcement that all schools in Niger and Kebbi States have been shut down, along with the closure of unity schools across the North, represents not security but surrender,” the women added.

    The coalition insisted that the closures would worsen an already dire educational situation for Northern girls.

    “The North already carries the highest burden of female illiteracy in Nigeria,” VIEW noted, adding that cultural and economic barriers already impede access to schooling.

    “These sweeping school closures stifle their right to learn even further. Every shuttered classroom widens inequality; every child kept at home deepens fear. This is not protection; it is abandonment.”

    The group warned that shutting down schools hands psychological and moral victory to violent groups, saying it “reinforces efforts, whether deliberate or through neglect, to keep northern girls uneducated and powerless.”

    VIEW demanded a more proactive national response centred on intelligence-led rescue operations, transparent daily updates and a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture.

    “Nigeria cannot continue this cycle of violence followed by retreat. Schools must be protected, not emptied,” the statement stressed.

    “We reject policies that punish children for the State’s failures. We reject the normalization of terror,” the coalition added.

    The women leaders urged the government to deploy “the full force of the State’s protection” to safeguard schools, citing the grim history of attacks stretching from Chibok and Dapchi to Yauri and Jangebe.

    “Nigeria is once again failing its daughters and sons. The children of Maga and Papiri must be rescued, northern schools must be protected, and the future of our region must not be surrendered to fear,” they said.

    Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW) is a coalition operating across the North Central, Northeast and Northwest dedicated to building equitable and just societies for women.

  • Banditry: FG trains security personnel on school safety in Jigawa

    Banditry: FG trains security personnel on school safety in Jigawa

    The Federal Government has trained about 100 security personnel desk officers in Jigawa state on Safe School Response Coordination as part of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment in protecting schools and children in state and country at large.

    Speaking in Dutse, AC Josiah A. Shuaibu, Head of Training at the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) under the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), said the programme aims to strengthen participants’ capacity to create secure learning environments.

    “This training is designed to enhance our officers’ skills, technology use, and collaborative efforts to address evolving risks,” Shuaibu noted.

    Read Also: 65th Independence: Tinubu charges Nigerians to unite for nation’s progress

    According to him, “It aligns with the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Declaration and NSCDC’s broader efforts to protect pupils, teachers, and school infrastructure.”

    The initiative, organised in collaboration with Save the Children International and other development partners and sister security agencies, seeks to ensure uniform application of Safe Schools guidelines nationwide.

    Advocacy and Campaign Coordinator for Save the Children International (SCI) in Jigawa, Dr. Joseph Apeh, praised both federal and state governments for prioritising children’s welfare.

  • Armed Forces strengthens non-kinetic strategy against banditry in northwest

    Armed Forces strengthens non-kinetic strategy against banditry in northwest

    The Nigerian Armed Forces has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling banditry and community attacks through a strengthened non-kinetic approach, combining professional operations with public, institutional, and media engagement in the northwest.

    Speaking during an interactive session with the Sokoto State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Director of Information, Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General Tukur Ismail Gusau, stressed that all operations would be conducted professionally and within mandate, warning that any attempt to undermine professionalism would attract court-martial.

    He explained that the renewed strategy under ‘Operation Fansan Yamma’ aims to entrench inclusivity, boost public participation, and build synergy across affected states, including Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, and Kaduna.

    Gusau noted that about 70% of solutions to insecurity lie with the public, while 30% rests with the armed forces, urging Nigerians to take ownership of the fight by providing timely intelligence.

    He highlighted the vital role of journalists in amplifying progress, countering misinformation, and strengthening public confidence in military efforts.

    According to him, the Defence Headquarters will continue to reflect community values and norms in developing operational roadmaps while sustaining public engagement to ensure success against insecurity.

  • Aliyu reaffirms commitment to eradicate banditry in Sokoto

    Aliyu reaffirms commitment to eradicate banditry in Sokoto

    Sokoto State Governor, Dr. Ahmed Aliyu, has reiterated his determination to confront banditry in the state, pledging to drastically reduce or eliminate the menace under his administration.

    He gave the assurance in Abuja while receiving the Integrity Transformative Leadership Award from The Nigeria First Integrity Group (NFIG) in collaboration with the All Progressives Stakeholders Forum (APSF).

    Represented by the Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Adare, the governor stressed that winning the war against banditry requires collaboration between the government, security agencies, and citizens.

    To strengthen security efforts, Governor Aliyu recently procured and distributed 200 vehicles to security agencies for monitoring and surveillance in banditry-prone areas, in addition to providing monthly allowances to support their operations.

    Read Also: Nigeria: Fighting back against banditry and insecurity

    Dr. Maryam Yunusa Danjaki, Director-General of NFIG, described Aliyu as a model of dignity, diligence, humility, and courage. She noted that the award also recognised his strides in education, infrastructure, and human development.

    Highlighting his 25 per cent budgetary allocation to education—above international benchmarks—Danjaki commended the governor’s commitment to tackling illiteracy and ensuring out-of-school children in the state return to classrooms.

    “There are other areas of human development, including human, infrastructural, and agricultural development in the state that the governor has done so well. His life is a testimony of integrity and humility. Comparing his achievements with the state’s past governors shows how well he has done for the people of the state.

    “We are happy to identify with him, and we pray that other governors in the North will copy from him,” she said.

    The event was attended by Sokoto lawmakers, traditional rulers, and APC stakeholders from across the federation, among other dignitaries.

  • Army will wipe out banditry soon, COAS vows

    Army will wipe out banditry soon, COAS vows

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has vowed that the Army will wipe out banditry and all other terrorist groups operating in Nigeria especially in Katsina State.

    The General gave the assurance while on a maiden operational visit to 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army at Natsinta Barracks, Katsina. 

    He  said he came to Katsina to assess the Brigade’s assigned duties especially in the fight against bandits.

    According to him: “I’m on the operational visit to Katsina State 17 Brigade and the essence is for me to appraise the operational activities of the 17 Brigade, look at their challenges and see how fast I can address them so that they can do the job we have assigned them to do very well”

    Read Also: Senate queries funding of MOFI with N150bat FMBN’s expense

    “You will agree with me that the Brigade has been doing well. I have come to urge them and charge them to do more so that we can eliminate all these bandits from the State and for us to have a safer State to live in. 

    “We have recorded a bit number of successes and that is why I’m here to charge them to do more because the essence is to eliminate the bandits totally from the State”

    “My simple message to my soldiers is for them to take this as a very simple responsibility that lies within our core responsibility as soldiers to defend Nigeria and within that ambit it is important for us to eliminate all the bandits within this area so that Nigerians can have a place to live in, so that government can have a space to development and Nigerians will be happy for it.”

  • Banditry: FG deploys two additional helicopters to Katsina

    Banditry: FG deploys two additional helicopters to Katsina

    The federal government has deployed two additional ATAK-129 Helicopters into Operation “Fansan Yamma” Sector 2, located at the Airport Wing of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in Katsina State, to intensify military efforts against banditry and related insecurity in the region.

    The Minister of Defense, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, alongside the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, announced this to the press in Katsina during the commissioning.

    The Minister assured that the nation’s security challenges would soon be resolved.

    He said: “The ATAK-129 Helicopters have an advantage over other fighter jets, ensuring that no enemy can escape justice. The helicopters were specifically deployed to combat bandits and other criminal elements that threaten the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Northwest region’’.

    The Minister further commended the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of the troops in the ongoing operations to secure Nigeria’s future, noting that their efforts are already yielding positive results.

    He added that significant progress has been made, with farmers returning to their farms, children going back to school, businesses thriving, and ordinary Nigerians able to sleep peacefully at night.

     He said: “We salute you for your personal sacrifices, leaving behind your families and the comfort of your homes to secure our collective future, we are grateful and remain committed to providing you and your families with the necessary resources to ensure you receive the best incentives and benefits.”

    With the induction of these new helicopters and the high calibre of officers and personnel operating them, Alhaji Abubakar expressed confidence that Nigerians would be proud of the results. “Together, we will dominate the battle space and achieve successful outcomes,”

    He emphasised that the newly deployed air components possess the speed, reach, and precision required to ensure that no enemy can evade justice.

    “The long arm of the law will reach those who seek to destroy our peace,” he asserted.

    Read Also: Radda flags off Katsina Community Development Programme, supported by AfDB, World Bank

    He urged the military to collaborate with ground forces and other stakeholders to ensure maximum effectiveness.

    “Synergy must be our watchword to defeat the enemies of the country. We must work together to build a safer and stronger Nigeria.”

    The Minister expressed satisfaction with recent military efforts, highlighting the destruction of several bandit hideouts in the past week through the use of various platforms. “If this continues, we will soon eradicate banditry,” he declared.

    He concluded by assuring the troops of the Federal Government’s ongoing support for them and their families. 

    “The end is near. We need maximum cooperation, intelligence, and prayers from the public,” he said.