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Why banditry may be returning to Kaduna exposes flaws in state government’s peace process
Why banditry may be returning to Kaduna exposes flaws in state government’s peace process
By: Zagazola Makama
The fragile peace in Kaduna State is once again under severe threat as banditry resurfaces along critical highways and rural communities, reviving old concerns over the sincerity and effectiveness of the state government’s amnesty programme.
The killing of Musa Kachallah, a repentant bandit leader who had renounced crime and embraced peace, has once again drawn attention to the uncertain security condition in Kaduna State.
Kachallah, once feared across parts of Chikun Local Government Area, had turned his back on violence, committing himself to community reconciliation. Respected by villagers in Tsohon Gaya for his peace efforts, he became a visible symbol of transformation. His assassination on Aug. 3, however, shattered that image and reignited fears that peace in Kaduna may only be skin-deep.
According to security and community sources, the killing was as calculated as it was cruel. At about 1023 hours on the fateful day, a group of bandits arrived at Kachallah’s residence disguised as friendly visitors. In keeping with local tradition, he welcomed them, offering food and pleasantries. But when night fell, their intentions became clear. At about 1145 hours, sporadic gunshots erupted, sending commotion across the settlement. By the time security personnel arrived, the assailants had disappeared into the surrounding bush.
Among those present during the attack was Shayibu Madugo, a known associate of another bandit figure, Gurgu. One of the assailants, identified as Mallau, was also injured and is reportedly receiving treatment at a secret medical location. Kachallah’s remains were laid to rest the following morning at 1005 hours on Aug. 4, in line with Islamic rites.
The killing goes beyond one man’s death. For months, Kachallah had worked to dissuade youths from taking up arms, urging them to abandon kidnapping and cattle rustling. Residents say he was genuine in his repentance, often standing as a mediator in local disputes.
Now, his silencing has not only discouraged others who might have considered laying down their weapons but also emboldened hardline factions opposed to peace.
It is believed that the killing has inspired retaliatory violence from bandit groups, especially those who perceive the state’s amnesty as insincere or biased. Already, since the killing, security reports indicated that bandits have intensified activities around Chikun, Kauru, Giwa, Makarfi on the Zaria–Kano highway, and Kajuru Local Government Areas and most recently the Abuja–Kaduna road, where a journalist was kidnapped on Friday. Already the authorities have stepped up daily patrol efforts at the Rigasa station line amid suspected security threats.
The resurgence of these pockets of attacks threatens the steady peace that was recorded within the past months in Kaduna, a once epicentre of kidnapping-for-ransom in Nigeria.
Despite these troubling developments, many security stakeholders and residents accuse the state government of complacency. Governor Uba Sani’s much-publicised “Kaduna Model” of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration has been described as a charade, lacking structure, transparency, and credibility.
Unlike amnesty programmes in other volatile regions, Kaduna’s initiative has been criticised for its lack of coordination, strategic framework, absence of community participation, and failure to provide genuine rehabilitation for repentant fighters. While the governor publicly received “repentant bandits” earlier this year and promised international-standard reintegration, there is little on the ground to suggest any concrete plan.
Security sources note that there were no individual risk assessments to differentiate hardened commanders from coerced foot soldiers. No verifiable rehabilitation or livelihood programmes were implemented. No sustainable monitoring structure was set up to ensure compliance. Worst of it, no disarmament programmes was set up to receive arms from the bandits, in most cases, they come without their weapons and go back to their enclaves after every engagement. The programme appeared to have been driven by political optics rather than strategic intent. The killing of Kachallah has now exposed these gaps, with many bandits perceiving the process as betrayal rather than reconciliation.
On the ground, it is the Nigerian Army troops under 1 Division, NAF, the Police with critical support from the DSS that have held the line in places like Birnin Gwari and Chikun, and other part of the state, neutralizing armed groups and securing major corridors. But the military alone cannot guarantee lasting peace without political leadership and state-level initiatives.
Police formations, for instance, remain under-equipped, with most of their patrol vehicles grounded. Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) are unavailable, leaving major entry points into Kaduna unprotected. Despite persistent requests, the state government has not provided critical logistics to complement security operations.
Multiple sources allege that Governor Uba Sani rarely convenes security meetings or reads situation reports. Unlike his counterparts in North Western Niger, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi or Borno in the North East, who are known for prioritising security and directly engaging with security agencies, Sani is accused of disengagement and indifference.
According to the sources, the governor hardly picks calls, responds to urgent messages, or visits attack scenes or victims and their families. His most visible involvement in security matters has been receiving rescued victims handed over by the Office of the National Security Adviser, a role seen more as ceremonial than operational. Besides, Governor Uba Sani mostly operates his state from Abuja.
This disconnect has widened the gap between the state government and frontline security agencies. It has also eroded public trust, leaving rural communities to question whether the state truly has a strategy for peace.
Kaduna’s worsening security point to the collapse of the so-called amnesty programme and the absence of strong political leadership. The failure to build a credible framework for dialogue, reintegration, and rehabilitation has emboldened bandits who now see the state as weak and divided.
The bitter reality is that, while the military and other security agencies continues to make sacrifices to hold the line, the Kaduna State Government has failed to complement these efforts. Peace is fragile, and with bandits regaining confidence, the state risks sliding back into the dark years of mass abductions and rural terror.
The assassination has reopened old wounds. It has exposed once more that peace in the state rests not on a solid foundation, but on fragile promises and the overstretched efforts of security forces.
Unless the state government takes security issues beyond rhetoric by complementing security agencies to stamp out banditry, the region could again descend into unchecked violence.
The question is no longer whether the government’s amnesty will work, but whether Governor Uba Sani truly cares enough to take ownership of the security in his state.
Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region
Why banditry may be returning to Kaduna exposes flaws in state government’s peace process
News
PRESIDENT TINUBU ASKS MATAWALLE, MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, TO MOVE TO KEBBI OVER SCHOOLGIRLS’ ABDUCTION
PRESIDENT TINUBU ASKS MATAWALLE, MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, TO MOVE TO KEBBI OVER SCHOOLGIRLS’ ABDUCTION
By: Our Reporter
President Bola Tinubu has asked the Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, to relocate to Kebbi State over the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in the state.
Matawalle, who was formerly governor of Zamfara State, was asked to remain in the state to monitor security efforts to secure the release of the abducted students.
Gunmen abducted 24 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi State, around 4 am on Monday.
Matawalle, who is expected to arrive in Birni-Kebbi on Friday, gained some experience in dealing with banditry and mass kidnapping during his tenure as governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023.
On 26 February 2021, armed bandits abducted 279 female students aged between 10 and 17 at the Government Girls Science Secondary School, a boarding school in Jangebe, in Zamfara State. The bandits released all the hostages on 2 March 2021.
President Tinubu had postponed his scheduled trip to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola, as he awaited further security briefings on the kidnapped Kebbi schoolgirls and the attack on Christ Apostolic Church worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.
PRESIDENT TINUBU ASKS MATAWALLE, MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, TO MOVE TO KEBBI OVER SCHOOLGIRLS’ ABDUCTION
President Tinubu Hails Jonathan’s Eternal Covenant Of Service At Foundation’s 10th Anniversary
*Says Nigeria’s democracy thrives because of leaders who place nation above ambition
By: Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised former President Goodluck Jonathan as a guardian of democracy whose legacy extends far beyond his time in office.
The President described Jonathan as a profound lesson on life after public service, who preserved Nigeria’s democracy at a moment when it mattered most.
Speaking on Thursday during the 10th anniversary dinner of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Abuja, President Tinubu, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the former president’s decision to establish the foundation demonstrates that “life begins anew when we leave the high offices for which we are elected.
“There can never be enough words to express the depth of our national gratitude to him,” President Tinubu said, adding that Jonathan has “remained the same guardian of our collective values since leaving office.”
The President drew a contrast between leaders who use their post-office influence destructively and those who devote themselves to serving humanity.
“Some choose a vehicle that serves only themselves, one that pursues causes capable of harming the very society that once carried them. The other group chooses a nobler path: devoting their life to the service of humanity,” he said.
President Tinubu warned that democracy across West Africa and globally has come under severe threat over the past decade, weakened by “adventurists, by extremists, by actors intoxicated by power, by those who see institutions as inconveniences and elections as formalities.”
He emphasised that Jonathan had demonstrated a crucial principle that nobody’s ambition supersedes the sovereignty of the state.
The President called for national unity and respect for democratic processes, urging Nigerians to accept electoral outcomes regardless of personal preferences.
“No matter whether our preferred candidates win or lose, we must learn to respect the wishes of those who vote differently. Because democracy offers us repeated opportunities to renew our mandates.”
President Tinubu described the foundation as a template for us everyone, noting that service is a continuum and that leaving office is not the end of one’s national duty but the beginning of a new chapter.
He said, “No government can succeed without the cooperation of its people, and no people can advance without a government that listens and leads with clarity. Our democracy stands because of people like former President Goodluck Jonathan. People who believe that the Nigerian state is bigger than any individual.”
The President congratulated former President Jonathan and his team, expressing hope that the foundation would continue to be a light on our path toward a more peaceful and prosperous Africa.
Earlier, former President Jonathan thanked Vice President Shettima, former President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone and other dignitaries for the honour of attending his Foundation’s 10th anniversary.
Recalling the incident that led to birthing of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, the former President said the focus of the foundation was prompted by his experience and challenges while in office as Nigeria’s leader.
He said over the years, the foundation has paid close attention and worked relentlessly on the issues of diplomacy, good governance, election management and promoting the development of democratic institutions.
Dr Jonathan expressed his condolences over the recent incidents of abduction and attack on citizens across the country, calling on political leaders to be more responsible to the issue plaguing the security and wellbeing of Nigerians.
In his remarks, the guest speaker, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, underscored the significance of functional democracy in Nigeria, emphasizing that the youths must be at the centre of all interventions.
He said that building a stable future for Africa must be anchored on the functionality of democratic institutions, effective youth empowerment schemes, a free press and an independent judiciary.
Dr Chambas extolled the leadership qualities of President Goodluck Jonathan, describing him as an African leader who believes in the values of true democracy and the sanctity of human lives, noting that the former president has proven his relevance even outside public office.
Also present at the event were former President of Sierra Leone, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma; former First Ladies, Dame Patience Jonathan and Hajiya Maryam Abacha; Former Secretaries to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim and Mr Boss Mustapha; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sen. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; former Governors of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; Sokoto, Attahiru Bafarawa; Adamawa, Boni Haruna; Plateau, Chief Jonah Jang; philantropist, Hajiya Bola Shagaya; former deputy governors; serving and former legislators; former Ministers; the Ooni of Ife, HRM, Oba Adeyey Enitan Ogunwusi, and captains of Industry, among others.
President Tinubu Hails Jonathan’s Eternal Covenant Of Service At Foundation’s 10th Anniversary
Concerns Rise Over Security and Governance In Benue State
By: Michael Mike
The Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEHUR) has expressed deep concern over the worsening security and administrative situation in Benue State under Governor Hyacinth Alia.
In a press statement read by Comrade Adebayo Lion Ogory in Abuja, CEDEHUR highlighted a series of violent incidents affecting communities across the state, particularly in Turan (Kwande LGA), Logo, Gwer West, and Agatu.
The group noted that attacks by armed herdsmen have resulted in deaths, displacement, and disruption of farming activities, a vital component of the state’s economy.
The organization also raised concerns over alleged administrative failures and financial mismanagement in several state agencies, including the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Bureau for Quality Assurance and Examination Board, Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC), and the Bureau of Solid Minerals.
CEDEHUR cited reports of irregular contract awards, diversion of funds, and overall institutional inefficiency.
Further, the group reported ongoing illegal mining activities in protected areas involving foreign operators, claiming that the state government had failed to intervene. Last weekend, two young men were reportedly killed in Turan following mining activities in the area.
CEDEHUR also expressed concern over directives allegedly issued by Governor Alia restricting public gatherings without official approval, warning that such measures could undermine civil liberties.
They called for clarity from APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda regarding the party’s role in these directives.
The organization urged federal authorities, including the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police, to investigate allegations of financial mismanagement, human rights violations, and security breaches in the state.
CEDEHUR further appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to convene a meeting with Benue stakeholders to address the escalating crisis and called for the immediate halt of illegal mining operations and political thuggery across the state.
The group warned that without swift intervention, insecurity and governance challenges in Benue could escalate, threatening lives, livelihoods, and public confidence in the state government.
Concerns Rise Over Security and Governance In Benue State
PRESIDENT TINUBU ASKS MATAWALLE, MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, TO MOVE TO KEBBI OVER SCHOOLGIRLS’ ABDUCTION
President Tinubu Hails Jonathan’s Eternal Covenant Of Service At Foundation’s 10th Anniversary
Concerns Rise Over Security and Governance In Benue State
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