Bandits

By Uzair Adam Imam

Suspected bandits have unleashed terror in Katsina State, kidnapping at least 28 individuals, including men, women, and children from Zamfarawar Madogara in the Batsari Local Government Area.

The abduction occurred Thursday night, as armed bandits raided the village, according to a reliable source who disclosed the incident to journalists on Saturday.

Batsari, a frontline area, has endured years of banditry, adding to the region’s longstanding security challenges.

In a separate incident within Batsari LGA, suspected terrorists targeted Naduai village, where they kidnapped villagers and set portions of the area ablaze.

This further compounds the plight of residents already reeling from insecurity.Meanwhile, in Na-Alma village, Malumfashi Local Council, gunmen on motorcycles abducted at least 20 individuals, predominantly women, in an early morning attack earlier in the week.

Describing the harrowing ordeal, a resident who narrowly escaped abduction recounted how the assailants not only kidnapped women and children but also looted homes, taking valuable possessions.

Despite these distressing events, inquiries made to the Katsina State Police spokesperson, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, regarding the incidents remained unanswered at the time of reporting, leaving the community anxiously awaiting updates on the situation.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Dogo Gide, the notorious bandit leader responsible for spreading terror across the North, has met his end.

The demise of Dogo Gide marks the conclusion of his reign of terror that had plagued the region for an extended period. 

Dogo Gide succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained during a fierce confrontation with Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) forces.

The encounter occurred amidst the rugged terrain of Madada Forest, located within the Maru local government area, on March 12, 2024. 

Despite sustaining severe injuries during the clash, Dogo Gide was reportedly transported clandestinely to a hospital in Mabera, Sokoto, Sokoto State.

However, his injuries proved fatal, leading to his demise. The demise of Dogo Gide, a fugitive wanted for a string of atrocious crimes in the region, was followed by his burial in Dandalla Village on March 24. 

Nevertheless, concerns have arisen regarding the circumstances surrounding Dogo Gide’s hospital admission.

It has come to light that a security official, now under detention, allegedly facilitated his access to medical care, raising apprehensions about potential collusion within the security apparatus. 

The successful elimination of Dogo Gide stands as a significant accomplishment for the Nigerian security forces.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The Chairman of Faskari Local Government Area in Katsina State, Musa Faskari, has confirmed a tragic incident where two worshippers were killed during Ramadan prayers in the Mairua community of the council. 

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, as reported by Vanguard, Faskari disclosed that the attack occurred during Tarawih prayers on Saturday night.  

He recounted how the assailants barged into the home of Alhaji Lado Mairua during prayers, demanding his compliance.  

When Mairua refused, they fatally shot him. Additionally, a neighbor who arrived at the scene on a motorcycle was also killed after witnessing the incident and raising an alarm. 

Faskari sadly confirmed that the attack resulted in the abduction of Alhaji Lado Mairua’s wife and their 15-year-old daughter.  

This marks the second time Mairua’s wife has been kidnapped by bandits, highlighting the dire security situation in Faskari. 

Expressing deep concern over the escalating boldness of the bandits, Faskari recounted another incident earlier on Saturday where they attacked Malalai village, killing two individuals and abducting two women.  

Tragically, a soldier was also killed in Ruwan Godiya on the same day. Faskari urged the Federal Government to intervene urgently, stating that the state alone cannot effectively address the escalating security challenges.  

He stressed the necessity for security forces to launch decisive actions against the bandits, including invading their hideouts to neutralise their operations and ensure the safety of residents. 

The recurring attacks by bandits have plunged Faskari and its residents into a state of fear and insecurity, demanding immediate and robust measures to restore peace and stability to the area.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

There has been outrage over the abduction of over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School at Kuriga, Kaduna State, by bandits on Thursday. 

The bandits reportedly invaded the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday, shooting at their victims before taking away at least 280 of the pupils and teachers from both schools.

The secondary school had been relocated to the primary school due to insecurity in the council. 

Various organisations and authorities, including the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Amnesty International, the Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and the House of Representatives, have condemned the attack, calling on the government to rescue the victims immediately. 

This incident occurred barely 24 hours after insurgents abducted 200 internally displaced women in Borno State.

The women were kidnapped in Ngala, the headquarters of Gambarou Ngala in Borno State, while fetching firewood in the bush. 

Sani Abdullahi, a teacher at Government Secondary School Kuriga, narrated the attack, stating that about 280 pupils and teachers were taken by the hoodlums.

He recounted the chaos that ensued as the bandits surrounded the school premises, forcing them to flee into the bush. 

State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, led senior government officials and heads of security agencies to the scene of the attack, assuring the community that efforts were underway to rescue those abducted.

The governor stated that security operatives had swung into action to search for the kidnapped pupils. 

Efforts to identify those kidnapped are ongoing, with the head teacher of the school and some staff members among those abducted.

According to reports, a pupil identified as Ahmed, who sustained gunshot wounds during the attack, succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at Birnin-Gwari General Hospital.

The community is reeling from the shock of the incident, with residents describing the bandits as wielding dangerous weapons and taking their victims into the forest.

By Uzair Adam Imam

In a joint operation, the Bauchi State Police Command and local hunters from Ahmed Ali Kwara have neutralized six suspected bandits terrorizing communities in Ningi LGA.

The operation was carried out in response to complaints from local residents about increased bandit activity in the area.

The police and local hunters are continuing to work together to keep the community safe and bring peace to the region.

The Commissioner of Police Auwal Musa Muhammad, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Ningi.

He said the operation was also a response to the brutal killing of eight people, including the traditional ruler of Kada and Gamji village in the LGA in July.

CP Muhammad explained that following the brutal killing of the eight people, the command raised a team of detectives in conjunction with the quasi-security outfits of Ahmed Ali Kwara.

He reported that a joint team of police officers and local hunters engaged suspected bandits in a gunfight on December 26 at 4:03 AM, resulting in the deaths of six of the suspected bandits.

CP Muhammad noted that two AK47 rifles, 55 live ammunition, four empty magazines, the sum of N4.5 million, one Golf 3 vehicle, seven new SIM cards, and six keypad phones were recovered from the bandits.

The commissioner further revealed that stolen items recovered from them included 11 Android phones, four keypad phones, 24 pieces of mobile batteries and 190 pieces of recharge cards.

He added that, “preliminary investigation revealed that the bandits, within two weeks, invaded four villages around Ningi, including Bukutumbe, Iyayi, Kayadda and Gamji, where they shot four people and killed one member of the vigilante at Bukutumbe.

“They proceeded to Kiyawa Local Government Area in Jigawa State where they kidnapped two wives of the Chairman Kiyawa LGA, Jigawa State,” He added.

The joint team is continuing its efforts to secure the community and apprehend any remaining suspects.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

An Islamic Organization, Ummah for Da’awa & Humanitarian Services, has called on the government to do justice to the victims of the airstrike by the Nigerian Army.

The group demanded thorough investigation into the matter and requested that the victims and the families of the deceased be compensated.

The group made their stance known while expressing their pain and sadness over the matter in a statement on Thursday.

The statement reads in part: “We call on the relevant authorities to exercise a deep investigation into the matter to know
the factors that caused the unfortunate
event and to take good actions against the forces that played a role.

“We also advise the government, both at the state and federal levels to pay ransom to the affected families to alleviate the pains and plights that accompanied the incident. We all know that lost lives cannot be returned but their families can be consoled.”

The airstrike dubbed as mistake by the Nigerian Army killed scores of Muslims observing Maulud in Tudun Biri Village, Kaduna State.

 By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Troops from the Nigerian Army, operating under ‘Operation Whirl Punch,’ have successfully neutralized seven terrorists in Kampanin Doka Village, Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The operation, conducted in response to ongoing attacks on the local community, resulted in the elimination of four bandits on November 1, 2023. 

According to Lt. Col. Musa Yahaya, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, the troops, in collaboration with 1 Division Nigerian Army, swiftly responded to reports of bandit attacks in Kampanin Doka village.

The operation led to the recovery of weapons, including one AK 47 rifle, one AK 47 magazine, one machete, a mobile phone, and fourteen motorcycles previously used by the criminals. 

In a related incident on November 2, 2023, farmers in the western part of Sabon Sara village faced a bandit attack while harvesting their crops.

The quick response from the Nigerian Army troops, supported by the courageous actions of four farmers, resulted in the neutralization of one bandit.

The attackers, with gunshot wounds, fled the scene, leaving behind two AK 47 rifles. During the encounter, one of the farmers, Mallam Abdulrahman Aliyu, sustained minor injuries and was promptly evacuated to a nearby military hospital for medical attention.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Armed bandits stormed Bagega, a peaceful mining village in Zamfara State, on Tuesday, leaving at least three people dead and 51 others, including the district head, kidnapped. 

Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants arrived in the village and opened fire indiscriminately, resulting in the tragic loss of three innocent lives.

The bandits then abducted the district head and dozens of other villagers before fleeing the scene. 

Despite attempts to contact the police for official statements, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar, remained unreachable. 

The community is left in shock and fear as the search for the missing villagers and the district head intensifies.

Authorities are urged to take swift action to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped individuals and bring the perpetrators to justice.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Northern leaders and stakeholders in the north have warned the Federal Government and Zamfara state government to stop playing politics with the lives of the people of the region concerning the alleged Federal Government’s secret negotiation with bandits. 

They expressed outrage that the Federal Government could be negotiating with bandits, which never worked in the past, and cautioned the government against such a move. 

They argued that by engaging in talks with bandits, the government was indirectly legitimising their criminal activities and creating a dangerous cycle of appeasement. 

They added that the move was sending a troubling message that crime and violence can be rewarded rather than punished. 

Recall that Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara has blamed the Federal Government for allegedly negotiating with bandits secretly without involving the state government. 

He also accused the Federal Government of sabotaging the ongoing fight against banditry in the state by negotiating with bandits behind the state government. 

His spokesman, Sulaiman Idris, in a statement he issued to journalists, said the governor said a delegation allegedly sent by some agencies of the Federal Government had been holding talks with bandit groups in Zamfara without the consent of the State Government. 

The governor said, “We have facts and evidence on what had transpired between these agents of the Federal Government and the bandits during the negotiations in several places across Zamfara.” 

Responding, the Minister of Information, in a statement by his spokesperson, Suleiman Haruna, on Tuesday night, however, denied negotiating with bandits. Also in the statement, the minister accused Governor Dauda Lawan of politicising security matters. 

In his reaction, one of the stakeholders and the spokesman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba argued that these negotiations are weakening the rule of law and establishing a dangerous precedent for other criminal elements in the country. 

Muhammad-Baba expressed fear that this approach might inspire other groups to take up arms and engage in similar acts.

Describing the move as ‘weak,’ he urged the Federal Government to reconsider its stance on negotiating with bandits. 

He said, “How will you begin a negotiation in Zamfara state without involving the Zamfara state government? You and I know this is a serious aberration and should not be taken lightly.

There is no way you can come into my house without my knowledge, even if we are of the same father, and start doing this kind of thing is not good. 

Expressing his disappointment, the Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, called on the current administration, led by President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to restructure the military and ensure it regains its lost glory. 

According to him, “That singular act is a complete failure of the governance system in Nigeria because what it presents is that our security is no longer having the capability to deal with the insurgency and they are no longer trusted to do their work.  

“And it’s almost like Nigeria is going into the abyss.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Federal Government has officially refuted claims of negotiations with the Zamfara terrorists to secure the release of the abducted students from the Federal University, Gusau. 

This development was contained in a statement that was released by Mr. Hope Attari, the Acting Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Defence. 

Badaru categorically dismissed the allegations of negotiations with the terrorists as misleading and emphasised that President Bola Tinubu had issued clear directives to the military and other security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted students. 

“The Federal Government is working diligently around the clock to ensure that the girls and other abducted individuals return home safely,” stated Badaru. 

Reassuring the residents of Zamfara and all Nigerians, the Minister of Defence conveyed the significant progress being made towards the swift release of the female students and others from Federal University, Gusau.

He expressed confidence in the joint security task forces working discreetly to rescue the students. In addition to addressing the ongoing efforts, Badaru extended his regret to the families of the abducted individuals, condemning the incident as reprehensible.

He highlighted the initial success of President Tinubu’s directives, with 13 of the abducted students and three others regaining their freedom on Monday, attributing this achievement to the professional efforts of the military. 

The Federal Government remains committed to securing the release of all the remaining abducted students and individuals while continuing to uphold the safety and security of its citizens.