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Doubts trail dialogue with Bello Turji despite release of 32 captives

Doubts trail dialogue with Bello Turji despite release of 32 captives
By: Zagazola Makama
The recent release of 32 kidnapped victims by notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, following behind-the-scenes dialogue with Islamic clerics and representatives of federal authorities, has triggered cautious reactions and deep scepticism from stakeholders in the North-West, particularly in Zamfara State long considered the epicentre of Nigeria’s banditry crisis.
Though the development has been hailed by some as a potential opening for peace, others see it as déjà vu, a replay of failed dialogue attempts that emboldened criminal elements and undermined justice for thousands of victims across rural communities in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kebbi States.
One of the most vocal critics is Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, a prominent political leader in Shinkafi LGA and former Chairman of the Zamfara State Committee on Prosecution of Banditry-Related Offences.
Speaking in a monitored programme on Tuesday, Shinkafi rejected the peace overtures with Turji, describing them as “unsustainable and morally indefensible,” citing past betrayals and the broader scale of insecurity that extends beyond a single warlord.
According to Shinkafi, the latest round of engagements with Turji was facilitated not just by local clerics but included emissaries from the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Intelligence and Security, Senator Shehu Buba Umar.
“These meetings reportedly happened about three times in July in Turji’s hideout,” Shinkafi disclosed, adding that though 32 victims were released, the process lacked transparency and structure. Where were these victims taken after release? Was the traditional protocol followed Emir’s palace, state government, medical evaluation? Nothing of such was done,” he queried.
Observers note that peace dialogues with bandit leaders are not new to Zamfara. Under former governors Abdul’aziz Yari and Bello Matawalle, multiple deals were initiated particularly through the efforts of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi. Each time, initial gains in the form of temporary ceasefires or prisoner swaps were followed by renewed violence, extortion, and further territorial expansion by criminal groups.
“This is the irony of the latest ‘peace talk’,” Shinkafi said. “We’ve seen this before, and each time we empower these criminals further.”
He added that making peace with Turji ignores the broader network of armed actors operating across the region, including Mallam Ila, Kanawa, Dan Bokolo, Sani Black, Dogo Gide and others.
“Sani Black recently demanded ransom payment in gold not naira from Zumi communities. What peace are we talking about when over 40 local governments across the North-West are under siege?”he said.
He argued that one major concern is the narrow focus of the dialogue. While Turji remains one of the most prominent warlords operating in Sokoto and Zamfara’s eastern axis, other factions continue to abduct, kill, and extort villagers.
Communities such as Sabon Birni, Goronyo, Issa, Kamarawa, Bafarawa, and Gatawa in Sokoto East remain under persistent attack, with dozens of hostages still in captivity. Just days ago, in Sabon Garin Damri (Bakura LGA), 70 people were reportedly kidnapped, with 11 confirmed dead.
Shinkafi argued that peace talks with a single actor like Turji, no matter how well-intentioned risk creating a perception of state weakness and selective negotiation.
“Even if Turji releases 32 victims with very fee arms and ammunitions, what about the rest? What about the others he didn’t release? What about the commanders who didn’t sit at the table?” he asked.
Malam Ibrahim Issa, another activist, said Dogo Gide recently claimed that he has seized fire in Kaduna state, but his boyz recently carried out attack on Nigerian army troops in Niger and few days later, he carried out another attack in Kebbi state.
“Likewise Yellow Jambros, who also surrendered in Kaduna and stopped hostilities in Katsina but he men are still attack Plateau and Benue state,”he said.
Banditry without ideology
Shinkafi further argued that unlike Niger Delta militants, who were driven by environmental degradation and resource control, the North East insurgents driven by religious ideologies, the North-West’s bandits are not guided by ideology or political grievances.
“These men are building a criminal enterprise. They extort farmers, kidnap schoolchildren, kill villagers, and run illegal mining operations. What ideology are they promoting?” he asked.
He said Turji’s sudden interest in peace is likely tactical to regroup, seek legitimacy, or avoid military pressure.
While the release of any kidnapped person should be welcomed, experts warn that fragmented negotiations, especially those lacking legal oversight and accountability, may set dangerous precedents.
“There must be a coordinated national framework for any engagement. Anything short of this is appeasement,” said a retired senior intelligence officer who declined to be named.
In the meantime, voices like Shinkafi’s are pushing for a more resolute military and judicial approach to end the cycle of violence and impunity.
“The only peace worth having is one anchored on justice, disarmament, and state authority,” he said.
Another layer of complication is the apparent lack of coordination with the Zamfara State Government. Governor Dauda Lawal, elected on a reformist platform, has publicly distanced himself from any peace overture with criminal elements.
“Governor Lawal is not part of this. He has maintained a clear position that no dialogue will be held with armed bandits unless they lay down their weapons unconditionally,” a senior government source told Zagazola.
Most of the bandits are not ready to lay down their arms. And even if they do, they are not willing to surrender themselves to the government for any form of rehabilitation. Most of the fulani bandits have large livestock and families too. Where do you want to keep them when you decide to confined them to a rehabilitation camp. What are you rehabilitating them for?
This policy divergence between federal-backed actors and the state government risks undermining a coherent security strategy and emboldening factions looking to exploit disunity between security stakeholders.
Doubts trail dialogue with Bello Turji despite release of 32 captives
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Jaji land dispute: Army says compromise on cantonment boundaries could undermine national defence architecture

Jaji land dispute: Army says compromise on cantonment boundaries could undermine national defence architecture
By: Zagazola Makama
The sprawling Jaji Military Cantonment in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State has for decades been one of the most important defence institutions in Nigeria. It houses the Infantry Corps Centre (ICC) and the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC) both pivotal to training officers of the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces.
But in recent years, the facility has become the centre of a bitter land dispute involving surrounding communities such as Labar Wusono, Hayin Mallam Auta, Ungwan Yahanna, Ungwan Aboki, Ungwan Railway, Ungwan Alhassan, and Ungwan Loya.
The communities have petitioned authorities, accusing the military of land grabbing, displacement, disconnection of electricity, demolition of homes, and disruption of their livelihoods. Several suits are currently pending before the High Court of Kaduna State and the Federal High Court, Kaduna Judicial Division.
The Army, however, insists that its actions are lawful, necessary, and in line with constitutional responsibilities to safeguard critical military installations, maintain national security, and protect lives within and outside the cantonment.
How encroachment started
Most of Nigeria’s cantonments were built in the 1960s and 1970s when cities were relatively small. Land reserves were deliberately left around them as buffer zones for military training, firing ranges, and security purposes.
However, rapid population growth, urban sprawl, poor enforcement of zoning regulations, and alleged connivance of land officials created loopholes. Over time, civilian houses, shops, schools, and even worship centres started springing up in spaces originally earmarked for military use.
In some instances, unscrupulous traditional rulers and community leaders reportedly sold parcels of land within military reserve areas, ignoring the fact that such lands had been gazetted for security purposes.
Land ownership and litigations
At the heart of the dispute is whether the contested villages and farmlands fall within the 3,333.23 hectares of land acquired and allocated to the Nigerian Army by the Federal Government of Nigeria, with compensation for land economic trees and buildings on the site acquired by NASI duly paid from 1984 up to 1987 and subsequent years.
Despite these military records, it is still defending multiple suits, including: SUIT NO: KDH/KAD/328/2018 filed by Alhaji Saminu and 266 others against the Army, in which claimants insist on ownership of six communities within the cantonment. SUIT NO: KDH/KAD/629/2023, in which Hon. Bashir Idris Aliyu claims ownership of over 61 hectares in Labar Village. SUIT NO: FHC/KD/CS/74/2025, a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Alh. Idris Hassan and six others against the Chief of Defence Staff and others, alleging harassment and rights violations.
The Army maintains that since these matters are sub judice, it has carefully abided by all subsisting court orders, including injunctions requiring both parties to maintain status quo. Beyond the legal battles, the Army says its core concern is the grave security risk posed by unchecked encroachment. The Jaji Cantonment, it argues, is not just another barracks, it is a strategic tri-service training centre hosting sensitive operational facilities. Its porous flanks have, however, enabled criminal elements including Boko Haram and bandits to penetrate and compromise security.
Security Breaches by Terrorists in Jaji Cantonment
To back this, the army cites a disturbing history of security breaches: November 25, 2012: Terrorists attacked the Jaji Military Cantonment using multiple suicide bombers, resulting in significant loss of life, severe IED-induced injuries, and destruction of military equipment and properties. In 2001, a senior officer, Commander Ogunlana, was brutally murdered within Majors’ Quarters by individuals traced to one of the encroaching communities. On 24 June 2021, bandits invaded the cantonment’s ranch, stealing cattle under the Army’s Investment Initiative Programme. On 23 August 2021, Lt. L.O. Ogunleti was killed at his residence within Officers’ Quarters. March 1, 2022: Terrorists killed almost 70 people in the Jaji general area in Kerawa. Again, terrorists ambush Army troops in Jura where soldiers were killed. There have also been recurring cases of theft, assaults, and vandalism incidents, the Army attributes to unrestricted civilian access through the exposed boundaries. Just recently, a mop Operation carried out by NDELA within the encroached communities led to the arrest of over 30 drug dealers and recoveries of large quantities of hard drugs and psychotropic substances. It was discovered after further findings based on Intelligence that the three top drug barons supplying drugs to Kaduna city and Zaria lives inside Jaji cantonment, making it difficult for the NDLEA or the police to carry out any arrest. Additionally, there have been: Killing of military personnel linked to banditry and other crimes. There was also several threats by terrorists to infiltrate and attack the Jaji Military Cantonment,which houses various formations, including: Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Infantry Corps Center, Nigerian Army Infantry School, Nigerian Army Warrant Officers Academy and the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Center. This is aside a fighting troops against terrorists and bandits operating from Jaji Military Cantonment referred to as Demonstration Battalion to students but because of the threats of terrorists and bandits and infiltration via these illegal squatters on the Cantonment, they were given additional role of Internal Security in the general area.
“These breaches confirm the existential danger of leaving the cantonment exposed. Fencing and regulated access were not arbitrary decisions; they were measures to safeguard personnel, residents, and critical military assets,” a senior officer at ICC said.
In response to repeated security incidents, the Army embarked on the fencing of the cantonment. According to documents reviewed by Zagazola team, the project was preceded by consultations with the host communities, culminating in agreements that gates would be installed to allow access to farmlands and settlements. Military authorities maintain that the fence does not deny the communities access, nor does it contravene any court order. Instead, it is designed to channel movement through controlled entry points, enhancing surveillance and preventing criminal infiltration. But unfortunately, the civilian settlers continue to destroy the fences and sneaked in through the backs channels.
Furthermore, the Army insists it has respected the 2018, 2019 and 2021 court orders directing both parties to maintain status quo, even as it accuses some claimants of breaching the same orders by embarking on new constructions and illegal mining activities. In one instance, the Army alleged that some community leaders, acting in connivance with a Chinese construction company, CCECC Nigeria Limited, illegally authorised excavation of laterite soil inside the cantonment, receiving over ₦85 million in payment, despite lacking legal ownership rights. This fraudulent activities was carried out with the connivance of a former Commisioner of the Kaduna State Government. The Army has since sought an interlocutory injunction to restrain further mining.
Relocation of markets and electricity disputes
Another point of friction has been the closure of informal markets within the cantonment. The Army explained that this was a deliberate security measure advised by intelligence reports warning of terrorist plots against military installations in Kaduna. Shop owners and traders, including those from affected communities, were relocated to the designated Mammy Market, with palliatives such as food items distributed to cushion the effect. On the allegation of power disconnection, the Army said investigations revealed widespread illegal connections from the cantonment’s electricity supply, which disrupted power to official facilities and affected military operations. The responsibility, it argues, lies with appropriate civil agencies to regularise the communities’ supply rather than allowing continued illegal tapping from military lines.
Military’s justification
Military officials stress that their actions are consistent with the constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity and internal security. The Jaji Cantonment is a critical training ground for the Armed Forces. Leaving it vulnerable to encroachment, illegal settlements, and criminal infiltration is not just a military issue it is a national security risk. “The danger is twofold: first, it weakens military training and readiness, and second, it creates vulnerabilities that hostile groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits and other criminals can exploit.”an Infantry Corps official said.
“When civilian settlements are inside the barracks, troops are forced to limit live firing exercises or suspend some forms of training altogether. This reduces combat preparedness, especially for soldiers fighting insurgency. Even more dangerous is the risk of infiltration. Terrorists, bandits or saboteurs can blend in with civilian communities gather intelligence on troop movements, training or stage surprise attacks. Even when we are training, you will see the people of the communities taken our photos and videos. “You cannot run an effective counterinsurgency when the enemy can set up surveillance points just inside your cantonment because civilians have encroached on the land.”said the infantry corps official.
The Army also insists that contrary to allegations of rights abuses, it has exercised restraint, relying on legal processes and refraining from forceful evictions while awaiting court rulings. “Those who abuse this order are the communities, because even as the court has given stay of execution, the residents continue biulding houses and expanding the communities with impunity.
Strain on civil–military relations
Encroachment has also strained relations between the military and host communities. Whenever the Army attempts to demolish illegal structures or reclaim land, it often sparks protests and accusations of insensitivity. They have strong backing of politicians and some elements within the Kaduna State government. This was why the government of Kaduna refused to respond, despite promises they made and assurances that the communities will be relocated to another settlement.
Civil rights advocates argue that some civilians encroached unknowingly, having bought land from individuals who presented forged documents. Others knowingly took the risk, hoping that urbanisation would eventually legitimise their claims. But the military insists the law is clear: lands legally gazetted for security purposes remain under the ownership of the Federal Government, and no civilian sale or allocation can override that. “You will hear them saying in the news that these communities are situated in “Igabi along Zaria-Kaduna road”. But no one will tell you that they are laboring in the middle of the cantonment.
The road ahead
With multiple cases still in court, the matter is far from resolved. The dispute pointed to the wider problem of encroachment on military lands across the country, a development that threatens both community safety and national defence readiness.
The Military high command have repeatedly stressed that safeguarding cantonments is not negotiable. In a statement earlier this year, The Army said it will continue to protect its land and installations from encroachment. We owe it to the nation to preserve our operational readiness and secure our assets. The balance we seek is between security and civil co-existence. But the security of our nation and its Armed Forces must remain paramount,” said Army top Command
For now, the Army is adopting a twin-track approach: engagement with communities on one hand, and firm enforcement of land rights on the other. But the message from military authorities is clear cantonments are not just lands, they are strategic assets tied directly to the survival and sovereignty of Nigeria
Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Counter Insurgency Expert in the Lake Chad Region.
End
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Two killed as gunmen attack Benue community

Two killed as gunmen attack Benue community
By: Zagazola Makama
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have killed two persons and carted away four motorcycles in Igwuma community, Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
It was gathered that the attack occurred in the early hours of Friday, throwing residents into panic.
Eyewitnesses said the armed men invaded the community and shot sporadically, forcing villagers to flee for safety.
Two victims of the attack were later identified as Mr. Yusuf Onuminya and Mr. Ochopefu Ochoweche, both of Igwuma community.
Community members also reported that four motorcycles were stolen during the invasion, although no houses were destroyed.
Normalcy has since returned to the area, but residents expressed fear of further attacks.
Two killed as gunmen attack Benue community
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Tanker explosion kills one in Kaduna workshop

Tanker explosion kills one in Kaduna workshop
By: Zagazola Makama
A 28-year-old mechanic has died following a tanker explosion at a workshop in Tafa town, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Sources said that explosion occurred on Friday at about 12:00 p.m. when a tanker, whose registration number and driver’s identity were yet to be ascertained, suddenly went up in flames during repairs.
“Upon receipt of the report, security forces were mobilized to the scene alongside his patrol team. Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, identified as Kabiru Usman, was working on the tanker when the explosion occurred
The sources said that Usman was immediately rushed to Umaru Musa Yar’adua Memorial Hospital in Sabon Wuse, where he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
Tanker explosion kills one in Kaduna workshop
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