The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), through the National Defence College (NDC), has taken steps to tackle terrorism financing, even as it seeks collaboration across regions.
Identifying terrorism financing as one of the ways terrorism thrives, NDC Commandant Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu said the complex nature of terrorism financing requires effective synergy between relevant stakeholders at both national and regional levels to tackle it.
He reiterated that effective synergy was critical due to the complexities of the geopolitical, economic, cultural, and religious interconnectivity in West Africa, the Sahel region, and the entire continent.
Rear Admiral Olotu stated this on Monday at the inauguration of Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Regional Security Course by the NDC ‘s Centre for Strategic Research and Studies (CSRS).
He said that research had shown that one of the most resilient enablers of terrorism is the complex and often clandestine network of financing mechanisms that fuel extremist recruitment, logistics, operations and expansion.
“Thus, countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) is not just a financial or legal obligation, but also a vital component of our broader national and regional security strategy,” he said.
Rear Admiral Olotu explained that the decision to widen the scope of participants to include professionals from the public and private financial sectors was premised on the current realisation that the whole-government approach is not enough to engender peace and security; rather, the whole-society approach, where every citizen is a stakeholder, is more likely to succeed.
Olotu acknowledged the importance of collaboration both at the national and regional levels, noting the complexities of the geopolitical, economic, cultural and religious inter-connectivity in West Africa, the Sahel region and, by extension, the African continent.
He continued, “These must be exploited to develop robust and comprehensive strategies that would leave no room for terrorist vulnerabilities.
“In this regard, this course marks a significant milestone in our collective effort to strengthen national, regional, and global counter-terrorism strategies, particularly in the area of CFT.”
LEADERSHIP reports that many security experts and analysts have been telling the government that the most efficient strategy to contain terrorists, bandits, and other non-state actors was to cut off their source of funds and arms.
Bandits kill 12 in Bauchi, Niger, as Gov Bala mourns slain vigilantes
Meanwhile, about 12 vigilantes have been killed in Bauchi and Niger states following an attack by terrorists.
Gunmen suspected to be cattle rustlers on Sunday killed over 10 people, including members of a vigilante group in Mansur, Gwana district of Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi State.
The armed men reportedly also rustled cattle and sheep from Mansur and other communities around the area.
LEADERSHIP gathered that the vigilantes were killed in an ambush while on patrol.
Confirming the incident on Monday, Bauchi Police Command spokesperson CSP Ahmed Wakil said, “On 4th May 2025, at about 09:40 hours, the Command received a report from Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters regarding an incident that occurred earlier that same day at about 05:40 hours.
“A combined team of professional hunters from Duguri and Gwana District, while on a routine patrol along Duguri, Mansur, and the Dajin Madam forest bordering Bauchi and Plateau State, encountered an ambush by armed bandits. This confrontation resulted in numerous casualties on both sides, including members of the vigilante group and the bandits themselves.”
According to him, a team of operational tactical teams was dispatched to the scene to recover the bodies of the casualties.
Wakil said preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased included both quasi-security operatives and civilians from Sabuwar Sara village, who were mercilessly shot by the bandits while attempting to flee from the attack.
He said that Commissioner of Police Sani Aliyu visited the scene.
This is not the first time residents of the area is coming under attack. About two years ago, armed bandits killed and burnt houses in Mansur and other neighbouring villages.
Two days ago, a foreigner suspected to be from Niger Republic was arrested posing as a soldier in Yankari Game Reserve. He was alleged to have been in contact with bandits.
In Niger State, bandits killed two vigilantes at Wamba in Mariga local government area of the state.
LEADERSHIP gathered that no fewer than 300 suspected bandits were earlier seen on 150 motorcycles with sophisticated weapons crossing the Kontagora to Minna highway between Kampanin Bobby and Wamba in the same local government area.
Some villagers who spoke anonymously told LEADERSHIP that the bandits might be coming from Zamfara State and heading towards the thick forest separating Mariga and Mashegu local government areas.
It was learnt that some vigilantes from Wamba who tried to confront them were shot, and two of them were killed at the spot, with several others sustaining injuries.
It was further learnt that some of the bandits also sustained injuries from the encounter with the vigilantes.
A source from adjoining Beri village, where there is a military unit, hinted that the army was mobilising to engage with the bandits at the time of filing this report.
The chairman of Mariga local government, Abbas Kasuwa Garba, who confirmed the incident via a telephone chat, said the security agencies had been duly informed and would be mobilised to the area.
He confirmed that two of the vigilantes from Wamba who went to confront the outlaws were killed, while one was injured and is undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to tackle all forms of banditry and criminality in the state after scores of members of the Professional Hunters Vigilante group were ambushed and killed.
LEADERSHIP reports that the bandits targeted the vigilantes on a routine patrol along Duguri-Gwana. Previously, the area grappled with incidents of kidnappings, armed robbery and cattle rustling.
Reacting to the incident, Governor Mohammed, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Mukhtar Gidado, said this senseless act of violence was a painful reminder of the continued threat posed by criminal elements who seek to disrupt the peace and security of communities.
He said he received the news with a deep sorrow, adding that the government would not relent in its efforts to secure the lives and property of citizens.
The governor praised the sacrifice of the vigilante group’s operatives to protect their community, describing them as heroes who paid the ultimate price in self-defence.
He called on residents to stand united and work hand-in-hand with security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could help to prevent such tragic occurrences.
The governor assured the public that no effort would be spared to ensure that Bauchi remains a safe and peaceful state for all.
1,800 killed in boundary, communal clashes
Meanwhile, about 1,796 individuals have died in boundary and communal disputes across Nigeria from January 2018 to August 2025, according to media reports and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND).
Between 2018 and 2022, at least 676 fatalities were recorded in these conflicts, with numbers rising sharply in subsequent years, particularly in the southern and North Central regions.
PIND noted that over 400 deaths occurred in Cross River State alone from January 2020 to December 2023, linked to land disputes. Delta and Bayelsa states reported over 650 fatalities during the same period, driven mainly by land disagreements and clashes with security forces.
High-profile incidents included a land rights dispute in Kogi State in July 2020, resulting in 14 deaths, and a similar conflict in Benue State in June 2023, which also claimed 14 lives.
In August 2023, four people died in a land ownership clash in Enugu State, leading to 12 arrests.
Security expert Chidi Omeje attributed these recurring clashes to the inefficiency of the Land Use Act and inadequate boundary delineation. He highlighted the failure of state and federal authorities to implement the Act effectively, which is exacerbating tensions in land-scarce regions, particularly in the South East.
Omeje urged the government to proactively address these issues to prevent further violence and foster lasting peace.
At the time of compiling this report, the National Boundary Commission had not responded to an enquiry on measures to mitigate these conflicts.
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