BANDITRY, KIDNAPPING, ILLEGAL MINING: Ethnic Tension, Insecurity Rise Across Communities as Citizens Worry

April 06, (THEWILL) – After paying a condolence visit to Kano State last week, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State and his Kano counterpart, Abba Yusuf, jointly condemned calls for reprisals for the 16 hunters from the state who were alleged to be violent kidnappers and killed by a vigilante group in Uromi, Edo State, a fortnight ago.

But indigenes of the Uromi community where the sad incident occurred have either fled or are keeping vigil, THEWILL has learnt, even after the police arrested some members of the indicted vigilante, transferred them to its national headquarters in Abuja and maintained sentry there. The reason is that the locals fear and believe a reprisal attack is coming. The date for the attack is reportedly scheduled for April 7, 2025.

THEWILL investigation shows that stakeholders from traditional rulers to politicians and community leaders are meeting round the clock to ensure the governor’s appeal holds and the newly deployed Police Commissioner to the state in the wake of the killings, Monday Agbonika, gets the necessary cooperation.

SIMILAR OCCURRENCES

Even so, tension in the Uromi community is mounting by the day. Just like it did in Bokkos in embattled Plateau State for one week after the bandits had warned locals that they were coming after the Salah celebration.

“In Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State last week, the kidnappers warned they would come after Salah. And the communities prepared for them, but they did not know that the bandits would come in the afternoon. They started the attack in the afternoon, at 2pm,” Spokesperson of the Middle Belt Forum, Luka Binniyat told THEWILL on Friday. “If the bandits warn you they will be come. It is better to take the warning seriously and prepare for them. They may not come on the appointed day, but they will surely come.”

As of the time going to press, 60 persons had been declared dead with 40 bodies recovered in the Bokkos LGA attack. This attack was similar to the one that led to the death of 10 persons in Ruwi village, in the same local government area, on March 27, 2025, while 10 others were killed on April 2, 2025, in a coordinated attack across several communities, including Mangor Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna, Hurti and Tadai.

Meanwhile, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH), responsible for maintaining peace in Plateau State, reported that they successfully foiled attacks by armed groups on several communities in Bokkos LGA.

Major Samson Zakhom, spokesman of Operation SAFE HAVEN, OPSH, said the bandits that attacked Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna, Tadai, and Hurti in Bokkos LGA were eventually overpowered by the troops, adding that the attackers were forced to abandon key items, including an AK-47 rifle and six motorcycles.

“Operations will continue as part of ongoing efforts to safeguard communities in Plateau State,” he further said.

Similarly, in the same week, gunmen hijacked a packed Benue Links transportation company bus, murdered the driver and abducted all passengers on board in Ikobi area of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, where hundreds of youths had protested against sustained banditry and kidnaping, shouting “Enough is Enough,” the previous week.

The victims were rescued by the police at the weekend. Police Public Relation Officer, ACP Sewuese Anene said that unfortunately, the kidnappers had inflicted machete cuts on two of the victims before their rescue.

In his reaction to the latest attack, the president of Ochetoha K’Idoma youth wing, Mike Magaji, decried what he referred to as the inaction of the Benue State Government over the killings in the state.

He said Governor Hycienth Alia did not make any meaningful speech during his visit to Otukpo last Thursday to address protesting youths over serial criminal herdsmen attacks.

He said, “It is heartbreaking that our people continue to live in fear while the government remains silent. How many more lives must be lost before decisive action is taken?

“The governor’s visit to Otukpo was a disappointment. Our people expected leadership, not vague reassurances. We need a clear plan to end these attacks.

“The state government must rise up to its responsibilities. We cannot continue to mourn our people daily while those in power look the other way,” the youths’ leader said.

A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr Raymond Imoter Iorvor lamented the wanton killing of people by marauding herdsmen for over 14 years in some areas. He said: “We voted for Governor Alia in 2023, and we will not stop supporting him in 2027, but if we are all dead who will he rule? We do not need palliatives from government but to send herders out of our communities for peace to reign.”

In an assessment visit to some protesting communities last week, the governor charged the citizens to refrain from taking the law into their hands, promising to channel their complaints to the appropriate quarters for redress.

Also, in Sokoto, the most wanted bandit in Nigeria, Bello Turji, declared wanted dead or alive a month ago by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, marked his Salah with the abduction of 11 victims.

Places like Ebonyi State in the South-East geo-political area of the country and Delta State in the South-South have come under increasing criminal herdsmen attacks recently. In Osun State, militias of feuding neighbouring communities of Ilobu and Erin-Osun engaged in a bloody fight over land dispute, leading to the displacement of people, destruction of property until Governor Ademola Adeleke imposed a 24- hour curfew and ordered the security forces in the state to summon the traditional rulers of both towns to sign a peace agreement, while food and relief materials distribution got underway.

However, the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Gombe State, Yahaya Inuwa, has stated that there is no tension in the North over the unfortunate incident in Edo State.

He issued a statement to call for calm and restraint, adding that state governors in the region were meeting with stakeholders in a bid to douse tension and promote peace and harmony among Nigerians.

UROMI AS A METAPHOR

Binniyat said that while the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, composed of  Southern Kaduna, Southern Kebbi, Southern Bauchi, Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba states, as well as the entire North Central geopolitical zone, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), supports the ongoing investigation to identify those responsible for the Uromi killings and take them to justice, they cannot ignore the stark reality that Middle Belt communities have suffered relentless attacks from armed herdsmen, with no commensurate response from the government.

“We hope that the swift response to the Uromi incident will set a precedent for a decisive crackdown on these criminals, the liberation of our abducted people and the reclamation of occupied territories,” Binninyat added.

Mr Sam Apologun, Executive Director of Open Society and Justice Reform, commended what the pro-active move by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who directed security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice, as well as Governor Okpebholo’s condolence visit to the bereaved families in Kano, in the company of his Kano counterpart, Governor Yusuf, coupled with cooperation with the police to arrest the identified culprits as promised. Akpologun claims the police authorities have also moved to douse tensions in Uromi and the entire Edo State where communities have been at the mercy of local and foreign kidnappers, particularly herdsmen, in recent times.

“One of the best proactive measures taken by the police authorities on this matter is the redeployment of CP Agbonika to the state,” Mr Akologu told THEWILL on Friday.

He said he had known Mr Agbonika since 2011 when the new CP was a divisional police officer in Isokoko police station in the Agege area of Lagos State. “One thing that he is known for is his ability to pull communities together and leverage their collective strength to combat crime.

“Everywhere he headed there was massive reduction in crime, not because the police suddenly became supermen, but because they were able to harness the strength of communities. One thing I have noticed about the police is that without the cooperation of members of the community, they cannot effectively police the community.

“That is one area Agbonika is an expert. Secondly, he is a decisive person whose presence will significantly checkmate any tendency to corruption. Apart from that, Agbonika is an indigene of Edo State. So, I think the Police Service Commission has killed two birds with one stone by deploying a seasoned police officer who is also from the state. This will help to pacify the people. If Agbonika is able to harness the ability of the communities undergoing reported cases of kidnapping and herdsmen attacks, things would improve greatly,” he said.

A security intelligence analyst and Managing Director of G4S, Joshua Ogunmola, said security agencies cannot give the desired results if communities ignore threat indicators in their enclave and fail to assist the police with information. Arguing that since the ratio of the police to the population is very low and the civil authorities do not often allow the security agencies to work without undue interference, the general lack of cooperation by communities in terms of information sharing, has made it impossible to tame insecurity in the country.

Speaking to THEWILL on Friday night, Ogunmola, said, “You at times hear the phrase, “My hands are tied,” by security personnel, which is a way of saying they are not allowed to bring their experience to deal with a situation. “Strangers enter a community at will and nobody is paying attention. In fact, many communities harbor sympathisers of bandits and kidnappers, who they prefer to share information with rather than with the security personnel. Criminals know these security and communal shortcomings and exploit them to their advantage.”

A SHOCKING DISCOVERY

Malam Yaya Zaki, a top official who conducted research for an Abuja-based Non-Governmental Organisation, Search for Common Ground, some years ago, told this newspaper at the weekend that the current situation in the middle belt is slightly different from what it used to be.

For eight years, he said, the NGO conducted the research on Fulani pastoralists and herders’ conflict in nine local governments in 36 communities, covering over 10 million persons in Nasarawa, Plateau and Kaduna States.

“At that time, Benue had not exploded as it is now. The resurgence of the problem is no longer a farmer/ header conflict as we dealt with a long time ago. What is happening now is an organised cartel of criminals and bandits funded by oligarchs. The people who claim to be herders cannot, with AK47 rifles, kill villagers and occupy their communities. These ones come to mine solid minerals; it is a solid minerals war that is going on in many communities in the North central geo-political zone, even in Benue. They do not come with cattle. They displace the communities and bring artisans to start mining solid minerals for them.

“The videos that surface online to show herdsmen feeding crops to their cattle is the old narrative. No herdsman would bring their cattle to graze in a community they have attacked and not expect a revenge attack that would wipe out their cattle.  Some farmer/ herder conflicts do happen as skirmishes, but that is not the fundamentals now. It is a mineral war. The metrics have changed, the old narrative is a camouflage. This is the dry season, so what are the things the cattle are going to eat? The rains have not started. Kidnapping is even a scam. Yes, the inter-communal crisis is still part of it. That is why I think the Uromi, Edo State case should be properly investigated.”

Corroborating this mineral war analysis in the middle belt region, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said it made a shocking discovery in Nasarawa State last Thursday.

There, Mining Marshals successfully dismantled a heavily fortified illegal mining site in Rafin Gabas, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

According to a statement made available to THEWILL, the site had long evaded law enforcement as it was protected by compromised security personnel.

However, following a strategic and well-coordinated operation, the Mining Marshals penetrated the stronghold, leading to the arrest of three foreign nationals involved in the nefarious activities. Several other suspects managed to flee, allegedly with the help of security operatives.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, commended the operation, calling it a major breakthrough in the Federal Government’s ongoing fight against illegal mining. “This is a crucial milestone in our tireless efforts to sanitise the mining sector. We are committed to cracking down on illegal mining operations and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable,” Alake stated.

ACC. John Attah Onoja, Commander of the Mining Marshals, confirmed that the site had been sealed off following the raid.

“A manhunt is currently underway for the suspects who escaped, and investigations are ongoing to identify any security personnel involved in facilitating these illegal activities,” he added.

POLITICS OF 2027 FUELING THE CRISIS?

Ogunmola argues that as a security intelligence analyst, politics should be downplayed in this matter and “our inability to deal with issues of insecurity,” should be the focus,” adding that he is yet to be privy to any information to justify any such claim.

But MBF’s Binninyat says there is politics, but in a broader sense. Terrorist groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State for West Africa, ISWAP and Ansaru destabilising communities in parts of the North-East and North-West regions are political.

He said, “The MBF believes that the current form of banditry, kidnapping has nothing to do with the nearest future but a long-term plan to destabilise the middle belt and transplant it with a Fulani population. Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s RUGA policies was designed to create Fulani settlements all over local governments in Nigeria. Apparently that policy failed. But it does not seem as if RUGA is dead because if you look at the creation of the Ministry of Livestock, it is still the same voice of RUGA. The government says they are going to have ranching enclaves that will bring some value chain to agriculture. That is fine. However, we in the Middle Belt are not going to accept exclusive ranches for the Fulani in our communities.”

WAY FORWARD

Both Akpologun and Binniyat, separately allude to the suggestion by the Director- General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Mr Adeola Ajayi, as the best recommendations to end terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in the country.

“We thank God the DG of DSS has come out to emphasise on how to arrest banditry, kidnapping and terrorism. This terrorism can be solved in one month if the Federal Government says, for instance, that every community brings out 10,000 able bodied men and they give them basic training on weapons handling,” Binniyat said.

Using Kaduna State as an example, he explained that despite Governor Uba Sani’s offer of amnesty to bandits with a promise to re-integrate them into the community, nothing significant has changed.

He agreed that things have relatively improved in some parts of Southern Kaduna such as Birnin Gwari, but insisted that killings and kidnapping are still going on in the area.

“In fact, kidnapping in Southern Kaduna is at an all-time high. I am on ground here and I am speaking with authority. I have even published some stories on it. What has changed here is that the invasion of communities, burning them down and killing people has reduced. But daily, isolated killing and mass kidnapping is at its peak now in Kajuru Local Government, part of Chikum and Kachia Local Government Areas.  We have over 1,000 persons from Southern Kaduna that are in kidnappers camp right now with over 100, 0000, persons in Internally Displaced Persons Camps, IDP. The kidnappers charge about N10 million for the release of each person. They have killed our people and impoverished us. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Christopher Musa has been doing his best, trying to get Army Forward Base operations in the state. So, what the kidnappers do is to come in daylight, point their guns at the people and kidnap them.”

THE DSS DG’s RECOMMENDATION

As a keynote speaker at the maiden meeting of the Alumni Association of the National Institute of Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja on February, 2025, Mr. Ajayi, suggested, “There is a need to make Nigerian citizens the first layer of defence against attacks by bandits and insurgents because there is no way a security agency would muster the resources to guard every inch of a nation’s land mass.”

He narrated his experience while serving as Bauchi State Director of the DSS to back up his submissions on what he called the practical approach towards curbing terrorism.

According to him, the Azare community in Bauchi State and Tafawa Balewa, another area of the same state, were determined to confront and eradicate a group of Boko Haram terrorists from their communities and succeeded.

He said, “What I am trying to say is that the practical approach to mobilising people is that you have to get everyone involved. You did not expect the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS to protect every Nigerian or every community. It is not going to work. In the US, if you visit someone in his house, you will be shocked that when the guy hears a police siren, he will just pull out his drawer, pull out his gun and keep it.”

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