North-East Lawmaker Indicted In Banditry, Abductions

A high-ranking Senator from the North-East has been identified as one of the major sponsors and financiers of banditry and kidnapping in the country.

The Senator, who occupies a sensitive position as chairman of a Standing Committee in the Senate, was alleged to have been involved in the abduction of over 14 students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State and four Corps members serving in the State.

Recall that in September, 2023, bandits kidnapped a significant number of students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State.

An indigene of Sabon Gida village, Abubakar Sani, had told journalists that the bandits, who were in large numbers, stormed the students’ off-campus residences in the village. He said the students abducted were mostly females.

Sani said the bandits invaded the area around 4:00am on a Friday, where they attacked three students’ hostels.

He said, “Many of the kidnapped students were females, while other students were able to escape to the bush.”

Credible sources at a topmost security agency confided in our correspondent that some of the kidnap victims, who preferred anonymity for fear of attack, alleged that the federal lawmaker was in constant conversations with the abductors, where he was directing the activities of banditry to the extent of determining when and who should be released.

The Senator, who is an ardent follower of a prominent controversial cleric in the country, is said to be protected by some highly placed government officials, who ensure that he’s untouchable.

Also, National Assembly sources also noted that the Senator invites the bandits to meetings in the FCT and just recently, four of the top commanders of the bandits visited him for a meeting in the Abuja.

This is one of the cases of public office holders aiding and participating in kidnapping, banditry and terrorism, thereby creating a multimillion naira business empire and unending insecurity in the country.

Recall that just few days ago, the Ogun State Police Command dismissed three Policemen for their alleged involvement in kidnapping, armed robbery and extortion.

The officers were identified as Inspector Taiwo Kolawole, Inspector John Ogbe and Cpl Idowu Sunday, all attached to the Ijebu-Ife division of the Command.