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Banditry: Tension in North as groups plan shutdown of states

Published

5 years ago

December 17, 2021

*Recruit special forces to fight bandits, Tambuwal tells FG

*Plans to deboard schools in Sokoto

Following the escalating insecurity in North west states, Sokoto State chapter of the Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has given the Federal Government three months within which to resolve the security situation in the zone or face mass action.

Criminal activities, ranging from banditry, kidnapping to armed robbery, had escalated in the north west, resulting in the killing of hundreds of people.

The ultimatum came even as North-West Governors’ Forum said in its meeting on Wednesday that to have a banditry-free society, all stakeholders must show commitment at fighting the menace, and stop playing the blame game.

This is even as Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal asked the Federal Government to recruit special forces to fight bandits in their enclaves in the forest.

Recruit special forces — Tambuwal

He also disclosed plans to deboard all schools in the state until the security situation was resolved.

Rising from a one-day stakeholders meeting in Sokoto yesterday, the coalition in a communique issued at the end of the meeting, said it had mobilised youths in states in north west to ground activities in the zone until government dealt with the problem of banditry and other violent crimes.Coordinator of CNG in the state, Isah Jabbi Usman, also blamed the activities of the outlawed volunteer vigilantes groups, known as Yan Sakai for the escalation of violence in most parts of the north western states.

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He lamented the escalating insecurity, particularly in Sokoto and called for immediate action to address the situations once and for all.

The group faulted both the federal and state governments for not acting promptly to tame the situation at its initial stage.

‘’We hereby place the authorities on notice that if the killings and abductions are not significantly or totally controlled within the next three months, mass action would be called that will not prelude occupying all towns in all the frontline states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja,’’ Usman said.Similarly, the North-Western Governor’s Forum challenged stakeholders in the zone to show commitment to the efforts to wipe out banditry in the north west.

Chairman of the Forum, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, who threw the challenge when he led a delegation of the Forum on a condolence visit to Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto) in Abuja yesterday over the burning of over 40 persons in a bus by bandits in Sokoto last week said: “We were in Sokoto State earlier to sympathise with the government and immediate families of those who were brutally killed in the name of banditry.

“The issue of banditry in north western part of the country is not beyond us. We know the problem and the solutions are something we as a people are capable of providing.

“This will be, provided that all of us take responsibility and stop the blame game. Banditry, especially our own in the north western part of the country, can easily be dealt with, if all hands are put on deck.

“This is because it has no religious coloration, no ethnic coloration, it is not ideological. It is simply pure criminality.’’

While acknowledging that the Nigerian Police had limitations in fighting insecurity, Masari said security agencies required technologies to effectively tackle the challenge.

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“We in the north western governor’s forum together with the governors of Plateau, Nasarawa and Niger are working with the Federal Government to come up with strategies and solutions,’’ he said.

Tambuwal on deboarding schools

Meanwhile, Governor Tambuwal said the state government was looking into the possibility of deboarding all boarding secondary schools in the state, pending when the security situation improved.

Tambuwal, who disclosed this in a media chat with journalists said the decision to deboard the schools was a result of constant and continued attacks by bandits and other criminal groups terrorising the state.“This situation calls for specialised approach with a holistic support from community groups, religious leaders and other individuals to tackle.”

On his part, Masari expressed his condolences to Sokoto state on the recent attacks by bandits, noting that measures are being put in place to address the situation.

“Bandits behave worse than animals in view of the atrocities they perpetrate; people need to protect themselves.

“Police and other security personnel are inadequate, so we shall not wait for those barbaric bandits to maim and kill people at random,” he said.

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“We shall confront them and deal with them the way they are supposed to be dealt with. It is no longer a blame game, rather we shall shun political differences to support authorities on containing the situation.

”The governor also said the state government was looking into the possibility of deboarding all boarding secondary schools in the state, pending when the security situation improved.

Tambuwal, who disclosed this in a media chart with practising journalists in the state, said the decision to deboard the schools was a result of constant and continued attacks by bandits and other criminal groups terrorising the state.

He said the launching of operation Hadarin Daji by the Nigeria Armed forces had made Sokoto State vulnerable to attacks by fleeing bandits from Zamfara State, adding that the state had made available all needed assistance to the security agencies in the state, with a view to containing the activities of criminal gangs.

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Related Topics:banditry Featured North Shutdown tension

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Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack

Published

2 hours ago

September 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack

A 33-year-old woman, Hauwa’u Haruna, has been arrested by the police in Bauchi State after her co-wife, identified as 43-year-old Jamila Adamu, died following an alleged attack with a pestle.

The incident occurred at about 4:05pm on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Tafawa Balewa Housing Estate in Bauchi metropolis, where the two women reportedly lived in the same household with their husband.

According to the Bauchi State Police Command, Haruna allegedly picked up a pestle during a confrontation and struck Adamu on the forehead.

The victim reportedly lost consciousness after the alleged assault.

Police said officers from C-Division, Bauchi, were alerted to the incident and responded to the residence. Adamu was subsequently taken to Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, where a medical doctor reportedly confirmed her death.

Her remains were deposited at the hospital mortuary pending an autopsy, while the police commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

The police said the alleged pestle used in the attack was recovered and retained as an exhibit. Haruna was also arrested and taken into custody for questioning.

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The police spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect was allegedly acting under what the command described as hallucinations when the incident occurred.

However, the police description does not by itself establish a medical diagnosis or explain the cause of the alleged behaviour. Further investigation, including the circumstances surrounding the incident and any relevant medical assessment, would be required to establish the facts.

The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation and prosecution.

The commissioner also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged members of the public to seek timely medical and psychosocial assistance for people experiencing serious behavioural or psychological difficulties.

Police have not disclosed a specific motive for the alleged attack or provided details of what triggered the confrontation between the two women.

The incident has consequently remained under investigation as authorities work to establish the circumstances that preceded the alleged assault and the events that led to Adamu’s death.

The case is expected to be subjected to further investigation before any criminal liability is determined through the appropriate legal process.

Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack

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Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search

Published

2 hours ago

September 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search

A 21-year-old Lagos driver has been arrested after a police sergeant was fatally injured during a stop-and-search operation in the Egbeda area of Lagos State.

The deceased officer, identified as Sergeant Johnson Okediji, was reportedly knocked down and dragged beneath a Lexus ES 350 during the incident, which occurred at about 2:20pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026, along Olugbede Street, Egbeda.

The driver, identified by the police as Olumide Olusola, was arrested after officers pursued him following the incident. The Lexus, with registration number FKJ 223 KX, was also recovered and taken into police custody.

According to the Lagos State Police Command, officers were conducting a stop-and-search operation when they flagged down the vehicle.

The command said the driver initially stopped but allegedly accelerated as Sergeant Okediji approached the driver’s side of the vehicle.

The officer was reportedly knocked down and dragged underneath the moving vehicle for several metres despite efforts by other police officers and passers-by to stop the driver.

Okediji sustained multiple fractures and serious head injuries in the incident.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital before being referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His remains were subsequently deposited at the Mainland Hospital Mortuary, while an autopsy was ordered to assist with determining the circumstances surrounding his death.

The police later arrested Olusola and recovered the vehicle involved in the incident.

However, the suspect has disputed the police account of what happened.

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While being paraded by the command, Olusola reportedly denied deliberately hitting the officer, claiming instead that the vehicle suffered a brake failure as he approached the police officers.

He said he had taken the vehicle to a mechanic the previous day to replace its brake pads and was informed that the work had been completed.

According to his account, he later noticed that the brake was still slipping after he bought fuel on the day of the incident. He said he intended to return the vehicle to the mechanic when the incident occurred.

The competing accounts have not been resolved, and the police investigation is expected to establish how the collision occurred and whether the driver’s actions amounted to a deliberate attempt to evade the officers.

The incident has drawn attention to the risks faced by police officers during stop-and-search operations, as well as the need for motorists to comply with lawful police checks.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Tijani said the command would continue to enforce the law while ensuring that officers performing their duties operate within established rules.

The incident was disclosed during the command’s September operational briefing, where the commissioner also gave an account of other arrests and recoveries recorded during the month.

The police said 32 suspects were arrested during the period, while officers recovered 43 vehicles, five pump-action firearms, five locally made pistols, 20 live rounds or cartridges, 15 expended ammunition and about ₦2.5 million in cash, among other exhibits.

The command said investigations into the death of Sergeant Okediji were continuing.

The case is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death, including the suspect’s claim of brake failure and the police allegation that he accelerated after initially stopping for the search.

Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search

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Rivers Approves State Police Bill as Kano Assembly Starts Consideration

Published

2 hours ago

September 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Rivers Approves State Police Bill as Kano Assembly Starts Consideration

The Rivers State House of Assembly has unanimously endorsed the constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services in Nigeria, while the Kano State House of Assembly has begun considering the proposal as the nationwide legislative process gathers pace.

All 25 members of the Rivers Assembly voted in favour of the State Police Bill during plenary on Monday, September 28, following consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026.

The bill was transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly by the National Assembly on September 16 for consideration and concurrence.

Rivers Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the lawmakers had consulted their constituents before taking a position on the proposed constitutional amendment.

He said the proposal would create a constitutional pathway for states to establish their own police services while allowing the National Assembly to prescribe minimum standards for policing nationwide.

The Rivers Assembly’s resolution is expected to be formally communicated to the National Assembly as part of the constitutional amendment process.

Meanwhile, the Kano State House of Assembly has commenced consideration of the bill after lawmakers resumed plenary on September 28.

The Kano Assembly had earlier indicated that it would examine the proposal when it reconvened, with lawmakers expected to scrutinise its provisions before taking a formal position.

The Kano development is part of a wider process involving the 36 state legislatures. The National Assembly has clarified that the State Police Services Bill is the only constitutional alteration proposal so far transmitted to the state assemblies for consideration.

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Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment passed by the National Assembly requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before it can proceed to the next stage.

This means at least 24 of the 36 state assemblies must approve the proposed amendment.

The National Assembly has given the state legislatures a 30-day administrative timeframe to consider and communicate their resolutions, although the Constitution itself does not prescribe that period as a statutory deadline.

The state-level consideration follows the passage of the executive-sponsored State Police constitutional amendment bill by the Senate and House of Representatives earlier in 2026.

The proposed amendment seeks to provide constitutional backing for a decentralised policing structure in which State Police Services would operate alongside the existing Federal Police Service.

The proposal also contains provisions intended to establish national minimum standards and safeguards for state policing.

According to the proposed framework, the Federal Police Service would continue to operate across Nigeria, while individual states that establish state police would have their own police services subject to the constitutional and legislative requirements.

The proposal comes amid longstanding discussions about restructuring Nigeria’s policing system and bringing law enforcement closer to communities.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has previously backed the establishment of state police, saying a decentralised policing structure could complement the existing federal security architecture and strengthen grassroots policing.

The Presidency has also said that any new state policing framework would require provisions covering recruitment, training, funding, oversight, discipline, firearms control, complaints mechanisms and other safeguards before state police services begin operations.

The legislative process has already produced different responses from state assemblies. Osun and Edo have also backed the proposed amendment, while other assemblies, including Oyo, Nasarawa and Gombe, have begun or scheduled consideration of the bill.

The proposal, however, has not yet created State Police Services in Nigeria. It must first secure the constitutionally required support from at least 24 state assemblies and complete the remaining stages of the constitutional amendment process.

With Rivers having endorsed the proposal and Kano now considering it, attention is shifting to the decisions of the other state Houses of Assembly as the State Police Bill moves through the next phase of the constitutional review process.