Terrorists raid 200 Zamfara, Borno communities, others

No fewer than 200 communities in Zamfara, Borno, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, and Kaduna states, among others in the North-West and North-East regions have been reportedly raided by terrorists suspected to be members of Boko Haram, Islamic State’s West Africa Province, and bandits.

Saturday PUNCH noted that the resurgent Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists had persistently been attacking communities, leading to the death of scores of people and destruction of property in the regions.

The development forced many residents to flee their communities to avoid being killed.

President Bola Tinubu had late August ordered the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; and other military chiefs to relocate to Sokoto State as part of efforts to restore peace in the North-West.

But despite the onslaught by security operatives, several attacks targeting civilians and security personnel had been carried out in Borno and Yobe states by Boko Haram.

Our correspondents learnt that terrorists attacked troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion under Operation HADIN KAIin Kukawa town, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, in the early hours of November 25.

The attackers had attempted to breach the camp, using a vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device from the Gudumbali axis.

According to the Nigerian Army, 12 of the terrorists were neutralised, while many others fled with gunshot wounds.

However, three soldiers were killed in the attack.

Four officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were also killed by the Boko Haram insurgents during an inspection tour of the national grid installations in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, on November 18, 2024.

Also, bandits have continued their operations, including mass kidnappings, killings, and displacement of communities.

The bandits’ operations particularly affected states like Kaduna, Zamfara, and Katsina.

The increasing attacks have also swelled the number of displaced persons in the states, while the Internally Displaced Persons camps have also increased.

Investigation revealed that many communities in about 32 council areas in Kaduna, Borno, Sokoto, Benue, Kwara, and Zamfara states had been under siege by bandits, Boko Haram terrorists, and herdsmen.

103 Zamfara communities sacked

Meanwhile, more than 103 communities have been deserted by their inhabitants as a result of the banditry in Zamfara State.

Findings by Saturday PUNCH showed that the villagers had relocated to Gusau town and other places both within and outside the state due to persistent attacks by bandits.

Among the 103 villages were Gidan Labbo, Tsakauna, Dogon-hako, Gidan-duwan,  Gwamawa, Munhaye, Dutsin Kura, Kekawa, Yarzaiga, Sabon Birnin Nakaka, Unguwar Gyauro, Bingi, Dandalla, Kango, Balge, Gobirawan cali, Gidan Ardo, Rafin Gero, Karfa Bawar Daji, Gidan Maidawa, Gidan Baushi, Rijiya and Kwarya Tsugunne, in Gusau, Talata-Mafara, Maradun, Anka, Maru, Tsafe and Zurmi council areas of the state.

Some residents of other villages, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on Thursday, expressed displeasure over the persistent killings and kidnapping of the people, and the inability of both the state and the Federal Government to end the menace.

A resident of Karfa village in Anka LGA, Garba Idris, said many people were killed in the village by the bandits, lamenting that there was no security presence in the area.

Idris said, “The bandits were in my village for more than four hours. They killed many people and later left for another nearby village, where they also spent hours, shooting and killing the people.”

Another resident of Barayar Zaki village, Sani Mamman, said the entire people of the village had relocated to Anka town because of the absence of security personnel to protect them.

“We have relocated to Anka town since the bandits attacked, burnt down our houses, and killed some of us,” he said.

Also, an indigene of Gidan-Zago village of Zurmi LGA, Musa Usman, said the villagers had no alternative but to flee from the village due to constant killings by the bandits.

Usman said, “They killed many people in my village, kidnapped many, and also constantly enforced levy on us. There are no security personnel in the whole area.”

To ensure the return of peace to the state, the Zamfara State Government has adopted several measures but insecurity has continued to defy solutions.

Our correspondent notes that one of the measures taken by Governor Dauda Lawal to address the problem was the recruitment of 4,500 youths to serve in the Civilian Joint Taskforce.

In a recent interview with The PUNCH, the state Commissioner for Security, Capt. Bala Mairiga (retd.) said the bandits were still attacking people in some parts of the state despite the deployment of military personnel to the state by the Federal Government.

14 Kaduna villages raided

In Kaduna State, Dokan Kariji, Kwaga, and Ungwan Zako communities in Kaura, Birnin-Gwari and Birnin-Gwari council areas have suffered devastating attacks from bandits.

No fewer than 14 villages in Dokan Kariji were overrun by bandits following incessant attacks.

A youth leader in the area, Aminu Khalid, said between April and November 2024, about 50 villagers were killed and more than 170 abducted.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that in a bid to restore peace and normalcy to the troubled Birnin-Gwari, a peace deal was facilitated by some stakeholders with the bandit leaders.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Chairman of the Birnin Gwari-Niger Interboundaries Communities Association, Ishaq Kasai, said the peace deal had also led to the resumption of economic activities in the area.

However, Kasai noted that the community was cautious about the deal, given that previous agreements with bandits had failed.

“Over 100 villages have been sacked in Birnin-Gwari alone. The government needs to compensate these communities and support them in rebuilding their lives,” he added.

Similarly, Kwaga and Ungwan Zako villages were attacked on November 9, setting harvested maize on six farms ablaze.

To end the attacks, a peace parley had earlier been facilitated by a stakeholder in the community, Sheik Assadus Sunnah.

The meeting was held between the farmers and the bandits on November 7.

But the bandits didn’t honour the agreement reached at the meeting as they struck 48 hours after.

According to sources in the village, the bandits also attacked the community the following week, setting multiple maize farms ablaze around Zako, near Kwaga, along the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway.

One of the owners of the farms, Malam Tanko, said the farmers in the village were helpless.

“We are totally confused about the situation,” said Tanko, who owned six hectares of maize in Kwaga.

Bandits terrorise 10 Sokoto LGs

Beyond the emergence of a new terror group, Lakurawa, in Sokoto State, bandits had laid siege to many communities in the eastern senatorial district of the state, killing, kidnapping and raping their victims.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that residents of many communities, including Burkusuma (Sabon Birni LG), Tabbani (Rabba LG), Katanga and Satiru (Isa LG) Gundumi and Giyawa (Goronyo LG), and some villages in Wurno LG, had been living at the mercy of the bandits.

Also, Tangaza, Gudu, and some parts of Tureta, Shagari and Kebbe are areas where bandits have consistently been attacking innocent people.

According to sources, bandits frequently abduct and rape housewives at Sabon Birni village in Wurno LGA of the state.

A resident, who identified herself as Hamdiya, accused the state government of abandoning several rural communities being attacked frequently by bandits.

In a viral video on social media, Hamdiya said, “It is getting bad; the state government should come to our aid. We are being harassed and molested by these people and the state government seems to be concerned less about the situation.

“I call on Governor Ahmed Aliyu to as a matter of urgency take steps to address these issues which are affecting our living conditions in the state.

“Go to Isa, Goronyo, Sabon Birni, and other local government areas in the state; a lot is happening that cannot be reported. Our women are being raped in the presence of their husbands.”

Also, a humanitarian expert, Abdulfatai Abdul, called on the government to help the people reclaim their communities.

He decried the level at which underage children and mothers were begging for alms in the metropolis, describing the trend as disturbing.

“It is disheartening seeing what is happening in the state. The issue of security crisis has turned many people into beggars.

“When you interact with them, you will realise that they are on ‘Hijra’, moving from their communities, which in most cases had been taken over by bandits.”

Rising IDP camps

Saturday PUNCH gathered that the population at Ramen Kura IDP camp in Sokoto has increased.

However, the Sokoto State Government assured the people of their safety, saying it had set up machinery to improve the security of lives and property.

Col. Ahmed Usman (retd.), the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the state Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, said the government was concerned about the safety of lives and property of the people.

B’Haram renews attacks

In Borno State, communities of Kareto (Mobar LG), Malari (Konduga LG), and Monguno (Kukawa LG) have been witnessing major attacks in the past two weeks.

On November 16, ISWAP terrorists attacked a military base in Kareto, killing some soldiers. Some of the terrorists also died.

Nine days later, Boko Haram launched an attack that led to the death of three soldiers, while over 12 terrorists were eliminated in the Kukawa LGA of the state.

The attack, which was repelled by troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force and combined forces, caused the terrorists to surrender and flee with gunshot injury.

Similarly, the police on Wednesday repelled a Boko Haram attack and diffused a bomb planted by the insurgents in Malari village of Konduga LGA.

Bandits attack Benue

Bandits and herdsmen have persistently been attacking communities in Benue State.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that many communities in Logo, Katsina-Ala, Ukum, Agatu, Gwer West, and other LGs in the state had long been under the grip of bandits.

Between Sunday and Monday, several communities across Kastina-Ala and Logo LGs were invaded by bandits, killing no fewer than 30 villages.

Our correspondents learnt that the local bandits in the Sankera axis, which comprises Logo, Ukum, and Katsina-Ala LGAs of the state, were gradually depleting due to the engagement of government and Catholic priests in the area.

The leader of the three socio-cultural groups in the state, Mdzough U Tiv,  Ochi’KIdoma, and Om’Igede, Iorbee Ihagh, disclosed that Moon Council ward in Kwande LG had been overrun by the bandits.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Ihagh said, “Several communities in the state, such as Logo, Katsina-Ala, Ukum, Agatu, Gwer West and other LGAs are now desolate due to the activities of herdsmen.

“For instance, in my local government, Kwande, a whole council ward called Moon, has been deserted by people and presently occupied by Fulani herdsmen.

“Schools, health centres, and other public institutions were burnt down. My house in my village was burnt down. For the past few years, no one has had access to the communities in the council ward.”

Terrorist leaders surrender

In another development, the Defence Headquarters on Friday announced that the military had begun recording a significant number of top terrorists surrendering to its troops.

Among those who have so far surrendered, according to the military, are Yellow Jambros, Alhaji Mallam, Ardo Idi (also known as Alhaji Lawal), Lawal Kwalba, Salkado, Yellow Ibrahim, Gana’e, and Babangida, among others.

In a statement by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, it was revealed that other top terrorist leaders were in talks with the military and had expressed willingness to lay down their arms.

“However, during the week under review, troops neutralised 135 and arrested 185 persons. Troops also rescued 129 kidnapped hostages.

“Furthermore, troops recovered 113 assorted weapons and 2,415 assorted ammunition. The breakdown is as follows: 72 AK47 rifles, 11 fabricated rifles, 15 Dane guns, 3 locally made pistols, 8 pump action guns, 4 hand grenades, one RPG bomb, and tube,” the statement read in part.