How Military Operations Reduced Activities of Bandits in Sokoto, Zamfara

*Attacks spiked in October, says Southern Kaduna 

*Afenifere laments escalating insecurity, insists on state police

Deji Elumoye, Udora Orizu in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The effective joint military operations by the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to flush out bandits within Sokoto and Zamfara states have yielded the desired results as relative peace has returned to some local government areas, which were the flash points in the two states, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

But despite the claim by the Kaduna State Government that insurgent groups have not executed a successful attack in the state since they attacked Abuja-Kaduna attack on March 28, 2022, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) has stated that attacks spiked from October, after killings and abductions had reduced for about two months.

Concerned about the rise in insecurity resulting in multiple loss of lives across the country, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has again called on the federal government to change its style and confront the challenges headlong, insisting on the creation of state police.
THISDAY however gathered that in Sokoto State, some LGAs such as Illela, Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza, Goronyo, Rabah, Gudu, Tureta and Dange/Shuni, which used to be the flash points, are now enjoying relative peace with the residents going about their normal businesses.

When THISDAY visited Illela, the border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic, business activities picked up without the residents entertaining any fear of being attacked or kidnapped by bandits.
Also in Zamfara State relative peace has returned to Shinkafi, Maru, Bukkuyu and Zurmi LGAs.
Investigation revealed that the successes recorded by the military are a result of collaboration between the Nigerian Army and the NAF, which drastically reduced the activities of bandits in the areas.

Before now the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division, Sokoto and Commander of Operation Hadarin Daji in the North-west,  Maj. Gen. Uwem Bassey had complained that the poor terrain hampered effective military operations in the areas.
THISDAY however gathered that with the end of the seasonal rainfall, most areas are now accessible by the military.
A military source told THISDAY that bandits have been dropping their weapons and surrendering in droves following “the superior firepower of the military while others have abandoned the forests as they face a new normal of non-kinetic assaults, which their AK-47 rifles cannot counter.”

“These turnaround events are as a result of the big strategic transformation in operational strategies of our defence and security forces,” he said.
One of the residents of Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State, the epicentre of bandits, Adamu Shehu, told THISDAY that they were happy with tactics used by the military which turned the table against the bandits as the battle has been brought to their dens and hideout.
“We are happy with the new tactics employed by the military; they now take the fight to the bandits instead of being on the defensive or waiting for us to call them that they are attacking a particular village,” he added.

“Riding a motorbike in convoys under the cover of thick forests to launch heartless attacks on sleeping villagers, rustling our livestock and barns and the kidnapping of our people for ransom have been stopped by the joint military operations,” he explained When the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), visited Sokoto State to commiserate with the people over the killing of scores of villagers by the bandits in Sabon Birni LGA, Governor Aminu Tambuwal had told the NSA and his team that defective military operation was responsible for incessant attacks on the state.
He then advised the military to synergise among themselves and also rejig its security architecture

Attacks Spiked in October, Says Southern Kaduna

Meanwhile, reacting to the security report released by the Kaduna State Government on Friday, which suggested that killings and abductions by bandits have reduced in the state, the President of the SOKAPU, Dio Masamari, maintained that there had not been a significant reduction in the activities of bandits.
Speaking to THISDAY in a telephone interview, Masamari said many communities were being attacked by bandits and people were being killed or abducted.
He acknowledged that there had been a reduction in killings and abductions, for about two months,  adding that there had been a resurgent from October to date.

“I agree that there had been a drop in the activities of bandits in about two months, but as of October to November, attacks and kidnappings have been on the increase.
“The bandits have their peak period and low period. That is how they have been operating.
“I am not saying that security agencies have not helped; we appreciate them.

I will admit that whenever we have any respite, it is because they have done what they ought to do.
“But the truth of the matter is that the attacks are going on in our communities; it is just that the people are tired of reporting the attacks. Of what use is it when you report and the perpetrators are not fished out? So, the attacks have become a normal thing among our people,” he explained.

According to the security report for the second and third quarters, which was presented by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan to Governor Nasir el-Rufai at Government House, a total of 446 people were killed while 1,789 others were abducted by bandits in Kaduna State between June and September 2022.
Aruwan also said a total of 159  bandits were neutralised by security forces while a total of 99 AK-47 rifles and other weapons were recovered from the bandits within the period.

According to him, 654 suspects were arrested but he did not say how many of them had been prosecuted and convicted.
He said the report covers banditry and terrorism, kidnapping, rape perpetrated by armed bandits, cattle rustling, communal and inter-ethnic clashes, violent attacks, and reprisal attacks within the past six months.

The report showed that in the second quarter (April to June 2022), 285 people were killed while 985 others were abducted by the criminals.
It also indicated that in the third quarter (July to September), 161 people were killed while 804 people were kidnapped.
The security report for the first quarter (January to March 2022) which was presented sometimes in April showed that 360 people were killed while 1,083 people were abducted.

The statistics showed a slight reduction in the killings and abductions by bandits across the state.
The least affected, according to the statistics, is Kaduna North Senatorial District which includes Ikara, Kubau, Kudan, Lere, Makarfi, Sabon Gari, Soba and Zaria LGAs with the lowest casualty figures.

Aruwan attributed the reduction in the activities of bandits to intensive military operations in the state.
He said: “With the intensified military action in frontline areas over the last few months, there has been a significant reduction in attacks by bandits and insurgents, as the figures indicated.

“Besides ground operations, many sorties have been flown by the Nigerian Air Force to further degrade the capacity of insurgents and bandits in the third quarter of 2022.
“Consequently, insurgent groups have not executed a successful attack in the state since the train attack of March 28, 2022.”

Afenifere Insists on Creation of State Police

Concerned about the rise in insecurity across the country, Afenifere has called on the federal government to change its style and confront the challenges headlong.
In a statement issued yesterday by the organisation’s Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, Afenifere expressed regret that the federal government is not doing enough to stop terrorism and kidnapping incidents festering daily.

The group recalled the kidnapping of about 30 children working on a farm in Mairuwa village in Katsina State, the abduction of travellers on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway including former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof Adigun Agbaje; the killing of dozens of people in Benue State, the killing of a NECO staff by armed robbers on the campus of the University of Ibadan mid-week and the abduction of four travellers in Ekiti.
It recalled that President Buhari while presenting this year’s budget before the National Assembly in early October, gave the assurance that insecurity would be substantially curtailed before his tenure comes to an end next year.  

The group, therefore, expressed confidence that the government can tackle the problem by allowing States that are so desired to have their Police Services.
The statement read in part:  “The situation became so dire that some countries have designated Nigeria as a terrorism-prone area to be kept at an arm’s length. Governments of the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark etc have asked their citizens to stay away from Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital. To underscore the seriousness they put to the terror indications that they saw, some of these governments are even evacuating some of their diplomatic staffers.

“Stop the kid glove treatment being given to arrested bandits and terrorists. Expedite action on the trials of apprehended terrorists and bandits. Demonstrate that we are all equal before the law and that no individual, group or tribe should enjoy preferential treatment over and above others. Needed equipment and incentives should be provided for security agencies to enable them to discharge their duties responsibly. That machinery be set in motion quickly to have the country restructured in such a manner that every region or area would be operating under a truly federal system.
“In conclusion, Afenifere reminded those in authority that providing security and welfare are the primary duties of government. Unfortunately, the government has not lived up to expectations in these and many other respects. President Buhari can ameliorate the situation within the few months that his administration still has.”