End banditry in North-west, now

Recent media report that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have neutralised a wanted bandits leader, Halilu Sububu, is a soothing relief for the people of the bandits ravaged North-west geo-political zone of Nigeria. 

According to the report, the wanted bandits leader was killed in an ambush by the troops in Kwaren Kirya, a community under Maru local government area of Zamfara state. Halilu Sububu is a citizen of Niger Republic but resides in a forest in Zamfara state, and often escaped to the Niger Republic after operating in Nigeria.

Sububu, a notorious gunrunner who also owned a thriving illegal gold mining operation in Bagega and other communities around Sumke forest in Anka local government area of Zamfara state. Sububu had a camp on the western side of Bagega and controlled communities and all mining sites in the area.

He was declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters in May this year. In a coordinated operation by the combined troops of sector one, North-west Operation Hadarin Daji, the notorious bandits leader was killed alongside his 50 fighters.

While commending the troops for the success of the Operation, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, said the Nigerian troops could gun down all the bandits leaders operating in the North-western part of the country.

He said time was ticking against notorious bandits leader, Bello Turji, and other terrorists as troops are committed to ending insecurity in Zamfara and the North-west zone. General Musa also announced that a joint military theatre operation code-named ‘Operation Fansar Yamma North-west’ will be established to tackle the spread of insecurity in the zone.

The deadly activities of bandits in the North, particularly in the North-west have become so wanton and brazen that the notorious Bello Turji had the temerity to impose N50 million levy on the people of Moriki town in Zurmi local government area of Zamfara state as compensation for the killing of his cows by the new commander of the Army base in the area.

Although the people managed to convince Turji to reduce the levy from N50 million to N30 million, the scenario underscores the level to which insecurity has degenerated and the impunity with which the bandits operate in the North-west zone.

It is quite sad that despite the efforts of the military banditry in the North-west and North-central geopolitical zones, rather than abate, is heightening, recording high death toll and huge sums of money paid in ransom to the marauders.

A recent report by a security intel gathering firm, SBM Intelligence, showed that Nigerians paid N1.04bn as ransom to kidnappers in the last year. The firm said its research found that within the period under review, no fewer than 7,568 people were abducted in 1,130 incidents across the country.

“In that same period, kidnappers demanded at least the sum of N10,995,090,000 (approximately $6,871,931) as ransom but received N1,048,110,000, a mere 9.5% of the money demanded, indicating that kidnappers have become less targeted in

their victimology.

“Of the 1,130 reported kidnapping cases, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina have the highest numbers of incidents and victims. Zamfara recorded 132 incidents with 1,639 victims, Kaduna had 113 incidents with 1,113 victims, and Katsina reported 119 incidents with 887 victims,” the report stated. The firm said on average, someone is killed each time there is an attempted kidnap.

Flowing from this sordid and unacceptable situation, the charge by the former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (retd), to the military top brass led by the CDS, to end banditry and killings “as soon as possible” becomes timely and germane.

Danjuma gave the charge on Tuesday in Abuja during the presentation of a book titled, ‘Big Boots: Lessons From My Military Service’, authored by Major General Solomon Udounwa (retd). Addressing serving and retired military top brass including the current defence chief seated at the event, Danjuma said the onus rested on serving officers to end the menace of banditry and senseless killings by marauders all over the country.

In response, the defence chief said the Armed Forces won’t be deterred by the challenges confronting them in the fight against banditry and terrorism. He assured Danjuma that the military won’t fail but bring the blood-sucking mongers called bandits to their knees.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria is willing, dedicated and committed to ensuring that we restore peace and security in our own dear country. We shall not be deterred. I want to assure you that we have learnt so much from your records. We cannot afford to fail and we will not fail,” General Musa said.

While Blueprint commends the efforts towards ending banditry in the country, it is expedient to advice the Nigerian military on restrategise their modus operandi and sophistry in the war against bandits. It is not enough to report breakthroughs in the media when the facts on ground suggest otherwise. Nigerians want result not excuses. 

The recent North West Peace and Security Summit organised by the North West Governors’ Forum in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Katsina state ought to be the compass for ending banditry in the zone; and now.