Why Kidnapping, Banditry Thrive In The North – Ex-Generals, Others

Retired senior military officers and security experts have revealed why kidnapping and banditry continue to thrive in the North despite efforts to check the menace.

They attribute the trend to poor diagnosis and a lack of security presence in rural areas where these attacks take place.

Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Niger states have witnessed unrelenting attacks on innocent citizens in recent times.

Kwara State also recently joined the trend with the infiltration of terrorists into its communities, where they have wreaked havoc in recent times.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 26, 2025, declared a nationwide security emergency and ordered the army and police to recruit thousands of additional personnel to tackle worsening armed violence across the country.

Tinubu directed the police to hire 20,000 more officers and authorised the use of National Youth Service Corps camps as training facilities.

He also directed the withdrawal of policemen from VIP guard duties for redeployment to conflict zones after crash retraining.

More than two months after these declarations, no significant difference has been seen in the fortunes of vulnerable communities.

Major General Chris Olukolade (rtd), a former Defence spokesman, attributed the lingering banditry to poor border control, as well as religious and political biases.

He said these were the bases for sympathy for crimes committed in the region.

He said, “The border situation, coupled with the general terrain of the region, is one reason.

“Another issue is the religious and political interests/biases fuelling sympathy for the crimes.”

He said endorsement by locals and lack of political will were other factors.

“The initial local endorsement by some of the communities, the social and economic conditions of the populace, and the lack of adequate/sincere political will to end the crisis,” he said.

Brigadier General Sani Usman (rtd) attributed the inability to address insecurity to a lack of cohesion in the response mechanism and a poor understanding of the conflict itself.

He blamed “poor intelligence and governance” for widespread insecurity.

The Managing Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Ltd, Dr Kabir Adamu, said two months after President Tinubu’s declaration, nothing has significantly changed because rural communities are still largely bereft of security presence.

“The federal government is failing in its security governance capabilities. The National Security Council is not being convened as the coordinating body in our national security apparatus, and the National Assembly is failing in its responsibilities to ensure accountability in the security sector,” he said.

He also blamed state governors for not doing enough to secure citizens.

“The governors, who are chairmen of their various state security councils and collect and spend security votes, are failing too. All we hear are condemnations and acts after the fact,” he said.

Bandits Kidnap Catholic Priest, Imam, 12 Others, Kill 3 In Fresh Kaduna Attack

A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, and ten others have been abducted by suspected bandits following a violent attack on the Karku community in the Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

A statement issued by the Kafanchan Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Jacob Shanet, on Saturday said the attackers were described by residents as a group of terrorists who invaded the community in a coordinated operation.

The statement explained that the attack reportedly resulted in the death of three individuals identified as Mr Jacob Dan’azumi, Mr Maitala Kaura, and Alhaji Kusari, while others were taken away by the assailants.

According to the statement, the incident occurred on February 7, 2026, at about 3:20 a.m. at the priest’s residence.

Rev. Fr. Asuwaye is the parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku, under the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan.

The statement expressed deep sorrow over the incident and called on priests, Christian faithful, and people of goodwill to pray for the safe and speedy release of Rev. Fr. Asuwaye and the other abducted victims.

The diocese also prayed for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives during the attack.

The statement further entrusted the victims to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, while urging continued solidarity and prayers amid the worsening security situation in parts of Kaduna State.

In a related development, suspected bandits have also invaded Janjala and other communities in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State and abducted a Fulani leader, Shehu Bello, Chief Imam Bello Abdullahi, and a woman.

One of the top security officers, who did not want his name mentioned, confirmed the attack, saying, “Yes, the attack occurred, but don’t mention my name. I can’t speak further on the issue.”

However, a resident of the area, who identified himself as Usman Sani, narrated that the bandits stormed many villages and kidnapped residents, as others fled their houses.

Sani said that after the attacks, communities like Janjala, Akihito, and Gidan Makeri, among others, were deserted as residents of the affected areas moved in droves to neighbouring villages for safety.

According to him, the attack happened on Tuesday night when residents were retiring to their homes, noting that many cows were rustled by the attackers.

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, had on Thursday received all abducted Kurmin Wali worshippers in Kajuru Local Government Area, who were kidnapped on January 18, 2026, during Sunday church services.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, when contacted, told LEADERSHIP Sunday on the telephone that he promised to return our reporter’s call.

“I will get back to you,” he said.

Benue: Kwande Has Endured Repeated Violent Attacks For 15 Years – House of Reps Member, Ugbor

A member of the House of Representatives for Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, Terseer Ugbor, has lamented that the people of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State have endured repeated waves of violent attacks for more than 15 years.

Suspected bandits invaded Abande market in Kwande on Tuesday, killing at least 17 people, including a policeman.

Three days later, gunmen again stormed Anwase market in Mbaikyor, Kwande Local Government Area, on Friday, burning down properties.

Ugbor, in a statement on Saturday titled ‘How to Stop the Killings in Kwande for the Prosperity of Benue State’, said that in response to these grave security challenges, he had proposed decisive measures as lasting solutions to resolve insecurity in Kwande Local Government and Benue State as a whole.

He said the Benue State Government should immediately provide logistical support and accommodation for the activation of the border patrol unit already approved by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for the constant patrol of the Turan and Ikyurav-Ya border areas with Taraba State and Cameroon.

Ugbor urged the National Boundary Commission to implement the demarcation of internal boundaries between Benue and Taraba states, alongside the resettlement of displaced persons back to their ancestral lands and the restoration of farmlands to rightful local owners.

The federal lawmaker also recommended that the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Benue State Government, in collaboration with the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, initiate a comprehensive mapping of all solid mineral resources in Kwande, coupled with a total ban on illegal mining activities to be strictly enforced by security agencies.

According to him, “All Community Development Agreements must be re-vetted, duly signed, fully implemented, and affected communities adequately compensated for environmental degradation and pollution.”

Ugbor also recommended that the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA), in collaboration with the Benue State Government, open and develop the international border with Cameroon into an export processing zone and economic hub, comprising an international market, storage facilities, cold rooms, trailer park, and access roads.

There should also be a 50-man Immigration outpost, a military command, a Customs unit, and a DSS border unit at the Cameroon border in Benue State to stabilise security in the state, he posited.

Ugbor further urged the federal government to accelerate the training and recruitment of local youths into the Nigerian Forest Guards and other security services to protect forests and farmlands from bandits.

He also asked the Benue State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to source local and international funding to commence the construction of resettlement homes, hospitals, and schools for displaced persons, senior citizens, and indigenous communities to restore dignity and livelihoods.

“Finally, the Benue State Government should map and designate the Kwande Hills and forests as a reserve and protected area under the National Park Service to ensure the protection and management of the proposed Kwande National Park for tourism, agriculture, and wildlife conservation purposes,” he added.