Still on the reign of bandits

For obvious reasons, killings and other criminal acts by the terrorists called bandits do not generate outrage among Nigerians anymore. They have become routine. In recent years, the so-called bandits have been known to commit egregious acts of terror, killing, maiming and raping at will; sacking entire villages, reducing people’s ancestral homesteads to rubble and causing untold numbers of people deep anguish. In some cases, they have used drones and brought down military aircraft. It was, therefore, no surprise when, recently, the outlaws led by a notorious kingpin, Dan Sadiya, killed 38 people among the hapless victims that they had abducted from a village in northern Zamfara State despite receiving N50 million ransom for their release. In this dastardly incident, 56 people were taken from Banga village in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area in March and the terrorists demanded a ransom of one million naira per captive. According to the chairman of the local government, Manniru Haidara Kaura, most of the victims were young people who were slaughtered like rams.

He said: “What happened was that the bandits demanded ransom money, and after some back-and-forth, they were given what they asked for. They then released 18 people, including 17 women and a young boy. Only they [the bandits] know why they killed them. They are senseless and heartless people. They forget that they are killing their own brothers, and we will all meet before Allah.” According to survivors who were forced to witness the brutal killing of fellow hostages, three pregnant women among the hostages gave birth while in captivity, but all the newborns died due to lack of care. Reacting to the incident, the Zamfara government condemned the killings, calling them “barbaric and cowardly” and declaring that it had become more resolute in its intention to wipe out terrorism from the state. It said: “To the grieving families, we share your sorrow and pray for strength and healing. To the good people of Zamfara, remain united and vigilant. Report suspicious activities, and together, we will defeat evil.” The 2022 law that criminalised ransom payments and prescribed a 15-year jail-term for offenders has not changed the abduction landscape.

Reacting to the incident, the UK government condemned it strongly. Speaking during a briefing under the State Expansion Programme for the AntiKidnap Fusion Cell, a collaborative security initiative between the UK government and Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever, described the incident as an “unspeakable crime” that undermines mental and physical well-being and retards national economic progress. She said: “It damages people’s mental and physical well-being and retards economic progress, and we must bring an end to this.”

Recently, also, the Katsina State government indicated that over 100 personnel of the state-owned security outfit, Community Watch Corps, had been killed by bandits. Nasir Muazu, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, disclosed this in a statement. According to him, more than 30 police officers had also paid the ultimate price, and several soldiers lost their lives in the line of duty.  He said: “These heroes deserve our respect, not social media mockery. Their sacrifices reflect the seriousness and commitment of both the government and the security architecture. It must also be acknowledged that the government, through the office of the special adviser on banditry and internal security, provides support to victims, rescued persons, and families of fallen heroes. But beyond that, success in this fight depends on collective support—not just from the government, but from all citizens. We urge the people of Katsina to remain calm and resolute. Avoid the temptation to believe or share unverified stories. If you see something suspicious, report it. It’s important to remind the public that the fight against banditry is complex. Many of the attacks occur deep in the forests, where response operations require time, coordination, and local intelligence. That is why the Katsina Community Watch Corps was established—to assist in these difficult terrains.”

Of course, the terrorists have put no pause on their activities. Last Saturday, they killed at least 11 people and abducted several others in a night attack in Sabon Garin Damri in the Bakura Local Government Area of Zamfara State. According to residents, about 70 people were unaccounted for and were feared abducted. In July, troops killed at least 95 bandits in a shootout and airstrikes in the Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State. This month, however, the terrorists reportedly ambushed and killed 21 state-supported fighters in the northwestern region. It can be no cheering news that in the first half of 2025, bandits and insurgents killed at least 2,266 people in Nigeria, surpassing the total number of fatalities recorded throughout 2024.

It is beyond distressing that even with the array of security agencies that the country parades, outlaws keep scoffing at the authority of the Nigerian State. Time and again, the “bandits” shed the blood of innocent Nigerians and state governments and the Federal Government talk tough while failing to rein them in. That is why despite collecting N50 million ransom, for instance, the terrorists in Zamfara chose to kill 38 hostages. That is why they could also kill 100 personnel of Katsina State’s Community Watch Corps, intent on neutralising every opposition to their nefarious enterprise. Surely, if they knew that a grievous fate awaited them for such dark deeds, they would not dare to commit them. But they did, confident in the assurance that the Nigerian State would not bring them to justice. This state of affairs must change, and very quickly too. It is disheartening that these criminals keep killing security operatives. Apparently, there is insider collaboration among the security agencies: information is leaked about troop movement, and this sabotage should be decisively addressed.

And as we have said repeatedly, so we say again: it is time for state policing. It is not the solution to all of Nigeria’s security problems—nothing ever is—but it is a giant step forward. There is no reason to delay it any further.

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