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EXCLUSIVE: Army Operations Restore Peace as Over 25,000 Villagers Return in Sokoto but Questions Linger Over Government Neglect

Published

4 months ago

June 2, 2025

EXCLUSIVE: Army Operations Restore Peace as Over 25,000 Villagers Return in Sokoto but Questions Linger Over Government Neglect

By Zagazola Makama

The Nigerian Army’s intensified counter-terrorism operations along the Sokoto–Niger Republic corridor have led to the safe return of more than 25,000 internally displaced persons to their ancestral communities, many of whom fled their homes due to persistent attacks by motorcycle-riding bandits disguised as foreign jihadists known as Lakurawa.

After tears and trauma, peace has finally returned to Tsauna, Tandaza, and other parts of the Gudu–Tangaza axis in Sokoto State, thanks to sustained operations by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA. Yet, while villagers trek home to their communities, a haunting question persists: where was the state government when bandits reigned?

From 2021 through late 2023, these remote communities bordering Niger were held hostage not by foreign fighters with grand ideologies, but by loosely organized, heavily armed criminal gangs on motorcycles. They murdered, looted, and raped at will, while the state and local governments watched from a distance, often offering conspiracy theories instead of meaningful governance. It was the Nigerian Army’s boots-on-the-ground young men and women who braved forests and perilous terrain, defying the attackers and gave residents the courage to return.

We Were on Our Own

“We were on our own,” said Malam Usman Gidado, a returning farmer in Tsauna. “We ran because there was no protection. Even our traditional leaders fled. But today, we are back, thanks to the Nigerian Army.” Gidado described how soldiers told villagers to farm freely, assuring them they could do so without fear.

Despite repeated intelligence reports of remnants of foreign-trained militants radicalized during the Libyan crisis slipping through the porous Sokoto–Niger border, the government of Sokoto State responded mostly with empty press statements. At one point, officials and some security agencies promoted the narrative that a new extremist group called Lakurawa had taken control of parts of Sokoto.

However, extensive investigations by Zagazola Media Network revealed that this was largely politically motivated posturing designed to attract federal attention. There was no evidence of a structured Lakurawa presence, no camps, no flags, just wandering motorcycle gangs of five to ten armed criminals, often exaggerated and inflated in social media and political discourse.

In Tsauna, a village they claimed was Lakurawa’s headquarters, we found nothing but 15,000 displaced residents struggling to survive. Just 15 kilometers from Illela, Tsauna had never seen a hospital, tarred road, police post or any form of government presence. The only school in the area had been shut down long ago, and the local government chairman had never visited. Yet, when violence erupted, officials and community leaders declared it a terrorist enclave.

“Since the Army Came, Peace Has Returned”

According to Magaji Garba, the Maigari (community leader) of Tsauni, who spoke through an interpreter, the village had been deserted long before the military’s intervention. “Since they came to Tsauni, peace has returned. No attacks have occurred here or in neighboring communities. We are grateful to the Nigerian Army,” he said. Garba added that the community lacked basic social amenities no school, no road, no hospital, no mosque and pleaded with the state government to implement meaningful development.

Alhaji Bashir Mai Adashe, a local resident, described the situation: “Most border villages are cut off from governance. The only government here is the soldier who sleeps in our bush.”

The Turning Point: Women and Brave Action

At the height of the violence, communities were so terrified that just two armed bandits could force hundreds to flee. Men initially refused to resist out of fear. However, a remarkable turn came when the troops instructed women to confront the bandits. They told them, “If any bandit comes again, throw stones at them.”
The women took the advice seriously. When two bandits later tried to infiltrate Tsauna, they mobilized, pelted the attackers with stones, killing one and injuring the other. Soldiers later recovered the bandits’ weapons, and the entire village erupted in celebration. Since then, Tsauna has remained peaceful.

Military Campaigns Continue

Few days later, the troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA led by one Col. Abdullahi Umar, Commanding Officer of the 248 Task Force Battalion and head of the Defence Headquarters’ Special Operations Brigade, supported by the COAS Special Intervention Battalion led the troops in a decisive operation and cleared several camps supposedly occupied by the Lukurawa terrorists. Since then, the troops had conducted at least 32 clearance Operations within Tangaza general area. The operation, code-named “Chase Lakurawas Out,” is a continuation of the military’s Operation Forest Sanity III initiative. It aims to consolidate earlier successes recorded in dismantling terrorist strongholds.

The Operation yielded positive results

Military forces destroyed 22 bandits camps, neutralized several sect members, and seized an array of weapons and ammunition.
Key areas targeted in these operations include Rumji Dutse, Sarma, Tsauna, Bauni, Malgatawa, Gargao, Magara, Kaideji, Nakuru, Sama, Sanyinna, Kadidda, Kolo, and Dancha Villages across Illela, Tangaza, and Binji Local Government Areas.

According to Col. Umar, despite recent military successes, he warned that lasting peace remains elusive unless concerned stakeholders especially at the state and local levels steps up to provide solutions to the historical mistrust between Hausa and Fulani communities in the Tangaza–Gudu–Sauna belt, which often complicates military operations. Locals sometimes give false intelligence, leading to near-disasters.

“Someone tells us there are terrorists in a house. We storm in and find women cooking. If we were not cautious, we could have killed innocents,” he said. A young Fulani girl encountered during an operation ran away in fear, assuming the military would harm her. When they caught up with her, she explained: bandits had killed her family, and now the community blamed her for surviving. These are the children at risk of radicalization not because of ideology, but because of abandonment.

“Sources also sometimes exaggerate numbers of the terrorists. Sometimes they tell us that there are about 800 Lakurawa but when we get there we will found out that they are 8 bandits and not even 80. But their initial claims would be everywhere in the media,”said Umar.

During an exclusive tour to the enclaves around the Tangaza–Gudu–Sauna, Binji and Silame, it was discovered that every time troops pass through, children, youth, and elders pour into the streets shouting ‘Inda Rabana’ Ba Wahala” meaning If there is God, there will be no problem.

For these people, the only government that they know is the troops the Nigerian Army.

“We are grateful to the Nigerian Army. They didn’t just fight, they lived with us, protected us, and gave us hope,” said Hajia Hauwa, a Tsauni resident, as she added that “What we face here is not just military. It is social collapse. Ethnic distrust, no schools, no clinics, no leadership. That’s the problem.

Zagazola Makama therefore warn that unless the governments begin to invest in infrastructure, education, and reconciliation, the fragile peace may crumble. You can’t win peace with bullets alone. You need teachers, roads, local leaders, and dialogue. If these people feel the government doesn’t care, they’ll make alliances with whoever promises protection.

The restored peace in Sokoto’s border communities is a hard-won success one built not on myths or exaggerated threats, but on ground-level courage, soldier-civilian collaboration, and a growing belief that home can once again be safe.

Despite the restoration of peace, the border remains dangerously porous, facilitating the movement of armed groups, weapons, and ammunition between Nigeria and Niger. Experts warn that without enhanced surveillance and deterrence, cross-border infiltration will continue. The government would do well to leverage technology by equipping the military with drones, long-range surveillance cameras, and additional platforms capable of monitoring vast, unmanned terrain. These tools will help cover operational gaps in areas where troops cannot be physically present.

The military has done its part by restoring peace, rebuilding trust, and enabling return. Now, it is the turn of government. But gratitude is not enough. Sokoto’s border communities deserve more than just momentary relief from terror. They deserve roads, schools, hospitals, and governance that shows up in peace not only in war. Until then, the silence of the state will remain louder than the bullets of the bandits.

Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region

EXCLUSIVE: Army Operations Restore Peace as Over 25,000 Villagers Return in Sokoto but Questions Linger Over Government Neglect

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RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

Published

2 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

“Don’t Allow Shame or Stigma Affect Your Confidence” – Senator Oluremi Tinubu to School Girls at the Launch of Flow With Confidence Program in Maiduguri, Borno State

By: Our Reporter

The Flow With Confidence program, a vital menstrual health intervention, is designed to empower schoolgirls with knowledge, build confidence, and promote improved menstrual hygiene. The initiative targets 370,000 beneficiaries, mostly from rural communities who struggle to access hygienic care while in school.

Launched simultaneously in seven states – Borno, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kebbi, and Lagos – by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the program provides each beneficiary with a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads.

At the official launch in Maiduguri, the First Lady was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima. She stressed that it is unacceptable for young girls to face significant challenges during their menstrual cycle, often forcing them to miss school days because they cannot afford sanitary pads.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu noted that many girls resort to unhygienic alternatives, hence the introduction of Flow With Confidence as a safe, hygienic option to enhance reproductive wellbeing. Each state under the initiative will have 10,000 beneficiaries.

Encouraging the girls, the First Lady urged them not to allow shame or stigma to affect their confidence but to boldly pursue their dreams as future leaders of the nation. She further called on corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals to support the program, while charging traditional, religious, and community leaders to ensure transparent distribution in their localities.

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, expressed the government’s profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose leadership continues to rekindle hope and restore dignity to countless families by prioritizing economic empowerment as a driver of national development.

The Governor also commended the First Lady for addressing an often-neglected aspect of girls’ and women’s dignity and reproductive health.

Similarly, the Borno State RHI Coordinator and Wife of the Governor, Dr. Falmata Umara Zulum, lauded the First Lady’s commitment to caring for the most vulnerable in society through her numerous interventions under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), complementing the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Meanwhile, the First Lady also handed over assorted food items to the Borno State RHI Coordinator, Dr. Falmata Babagana Zulum, for onward distribution to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities. This places Borno among the beneficiaries of the monthly RHI Food Outreach Scheme, flagged off in March 2024 with support from two leading industrialists.

RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

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Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

Published

11 hours ago

October 2, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

…Insists Absence of Appellate Court at Regional Level Undermines Access to Justice

By: Michael Mike

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi has called for the establishment of an appellate mechanism within the ECOWAS Court of Justice, stating that the absence of such mechanism continued to undermine access to justice in the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025/2026 legal year of ECOWAS Court, Fagbemi said while the finality of judgments is crucial, fairness also demands that decisions be open to review in order to correct possible errors of law or procedure.

Fagbemi while noting that the absence of appellate court at the regional level is a letdown, said: “It is concerning that there is currently inadequate room for appeal against the judgments of the ECOWAS Court. While finality is important, justice must also be seen to be fair and revisable,” insisting that: “The absence of a separate appellate mechanism limits access to justice. As we expand the Court’s reach, we must also ensure that its decisions are subject to the same standards of review and accountability that underpin robust judicial systems.”

He urged the Court to draw lessons from other regional judicial institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights, the East African Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which, according to him, offer valuable models of transparency, judicial independence and procedural innovation.

He however restated Nigeria’s support for the ECOWAS Court as host country, describing it as central to regional integration, human rights enforcement and stability. “Nigeria remains steadfast in its support for the ECOWAS Court of Justice… I pledge to continue advocating for legal reforms that align domestic laws with regional obligations while respecting our constitutional order and national interests,” Fagbemi added.

Also speaking, the President of Cabo Verde, José Neves, said community justice remains vital for Africa’s credibility in global affairs. He stressed that strengthening institutions such as the ECOWAS Court was essential for peace, democracy and integration on the continent.

He said: “In a continent still marked by border disputes and recurring tensions, the existence of an independent and respected community tribunal is a civilisational triumph that we must preserve and enhance,” Neves said. He noted that access to the Court by individual citizens was one of the most significant gains of regional integration, as it brings justice closer to the people.

Neves also called for reforms within African sub-regional bodies to make them more effective in addressing contemporary challenges such as insecurity, institutional fragility, migration and climate change.

In his address, the President of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Ricardo Goncalves, disclosed that the Court handled 34 new cases in the past year, including matters relating to civil and political rights, economic freedoms, and disputes between member states.

He also revealed that the Court held 79 judicial sessions and issued 54 rulings, many of which reaffirmed key principles such as the justiciability of socio-economic rights and the supremacy of community law over conflicting national legislation. According to him, 112 cases are currently pending before the Court.

Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

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Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

Published

12 hours ago

October 2, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum on Wednesday, undertook a working visit to Diffa Region of Niger Republic on Wednesday.

The visit, which included a high-level security and economic delegation, focused on strengthening the existing collaboration between Nigerian and Nigerien forces in the ongoing fight against insurgency, particularly around the shores of Lake Chad.

Diffa is a community 17 km from Damasak town in northern Borno where thousands of Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram insurgency are currently taking refuge.

Zulum was received by the Governor of Diffa, Brigadier General Mahamaduo Ibrahim Bagadoma, and other senior officials. The leaders held closed-door meetings centered on joint patrols, intelligence sharing, and sustaining the recent gains that have pushed insurgents out of many of their former strongholds.

Zulum outlined plan to leverage the improved security situation to facilitate the return of thousands of displaced farmers to the vast and fertile agricultural lands around Dutchi town within the Lake Chad basin.

Part of the Governor’s entourage are Engr Bukar Talba, a member of the House of Representatives, Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, and otheir senior government officials.
[10/2, 6:35 PM] Mike Olugbode: Maiduguri: For Over a Month, MSF Responds to High Numbers of Children Suffering from Malnutrition.

Since late August and early September, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have scaled up their medical response in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, following a sharp rise in malnutrition cases that overwhelmed MSF-supported facilities. Although admissions have slightly decreased now, the number of children receiving treatment remains very high.

“A month ago, we witnessed a worrying increase in admissions, compounded by a surge in measles cases,” said MSF Project Coordinator Daniela Batista. “Our isolation units for measles patients were quickly filled, and even the additional space we opened reached capacity. Now, those units remain around 70 percent full.”

Since 8 September, MSF’s Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC) at Nilefa Kiji Hospital (NKH) has nearly doubled its bed capacity to accommodate the influx of malnourished children. By the third week of September, the emergency facility was recording an average of more than 85 new admissions daily.
In a context of reduced global humanitarian funding, some organizations in Maiduguri reduced their support for – or even left – nutritional outpatient nutrition programmes, causing a significant drop in access for first line care fir malnourished children.

At MSF’s extension facility in Shuwari, teams treated 3,265 children for malnutrition and referred 1,521 others for continued care between August and early September, when the upsurge began. More than 625 malnourished children have also been treated for measles — a disease which can contribute to malnutrition and whose complications can result from malnutrition.

The situation is further exacerbated by shortages of essential supplies. Therapeutic milk — critical for treating severe acute malnutrition — is in short supply, while access to ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) remains a chronic concern. Some partner ITFCs have indicated they can only accept referrals if MSF provides additional medical supplies such as antibiotics, admission kits, and therapeutic milk.
MSF teams also reported regular admissions of patients from Zabarmari — a community they are currently unable to access due to security and logistical challenges. MSF is engaging with the Borno State Ministry of Health to assess and potentially support the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) to ensure residents can access care.

Borno State continues to face the effects of a decade-long insurgency, with recent reports of violence in areas surrounding Maiduguri.

This surge in Maiduguri mirrors an alarming trend seen in all MSF nutrition facilities across Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi in recent months. According to UN estimates, 2.5 million children across northeast Nigeria are at risk of acute malnutrition.

MSF called on health authorities and humanitarian organizations to urgently address the shortages in medical supplies and staffing, and to strengthen community-level health systems to prevent further deterioration.

Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community