Crime

Lagbaja And Banditry Battle In North-West Nigeria

Published

2 years ago

December 11, 2022

Lagbaja And Banditry Battle In North-West Nigeria

By Zagazola Makama

The asymetric warfare that involves the Nigerian military on one hand, and the twin crimes of terror-banditry and kidnapping on the other, in Northwest Nigeria has raged on over the last eleven years in a startling fashion; much akin to what obtains in every other clime tormented by any form of terror across the globe.

The warfare has raged on in the fashion of the wild bushfire, with both sides unrelentingly beefing up their arsenals, refining their strategies and upscaling their combat-readiness.

The military deployed more troops, weapons and equipment, as the banditry sponsors do same, with the recruitment of more bandits, unleashing a more devastating terror across the Northwestern and parts of the Northcentral Nigeria.

Residents in Northwest Kaduna witnessed increasing threat of banditry, a type of organized crime that includes kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, rape and cattle-rustling.

The Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād Boko Haram terrorist organization, which aimed to expand its base beyond Northeast Nigeria, largely due to the sustained intensified intelligence-led aerial and ground coordinated offensives begun forming alliances with bandit groups.

The situation generated a growing set of intricacies in the warfare, requiring not just the deployment of more troops, weapons and other equipment at the front line, but a genuinely patriotic, committed and exceptionally-intelligent command to guide the operations of the troops in their combat with the criminal non-state actors.

This command is, perhaps, the most-critical component of the military prowess required in its operations against, not just the non-state actors, but every other enemy force in every other form of warfare.

The 1 Div of the Nigerian Army headquartered in Kaduna, coordinating the operations of lower formations across the Northwest, has, all along, commanded the operations of the ground troops combating the global-scale menace in the Northwest, in collaboration and synergy with the Air Task Force component of the military, the government of Kaduna State and other security agencies.

Successive General Officers Commanding (GOCs) 1 Div, had to, therefore, employ exceptional patriotism; committment to the oneness, peace and security of indivisible Nigeria; and intelligence for proper coordination of the operations of troops in asymmetric warfare.

The GOCs had, since 2011, when terror-banditry first erupted in Zamfara, played commendable roles in combating the menace in their respective ways with the resources available to them during their respective tenures.

The present tenure of Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, as the 39th GOC complements the past efforts with outstanding innovation and improved strategy.

Spurred by his flawless understanding of the complexities of the asymmetric war tactics of the Bandits/Boko Haram terrorist sect, General Lagbaja, in line with the clear directives of the military leadership, evolved a winning strategy that fosters complimentary roles between the Nigerian Army, Air Task Force and the Joint Task Force executing the campaign in the frontline.

In a landmark rejigging of strategy, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, inducted Special Forces Battalion into Northwest Operation Forest Sanity, supervised by Gen. Lagbaja to match whatever new strategies the terrorists may have evolved to outwit and overwhelm the capacity of the army to tackle them.

Before the deployment of the Special Forces, military operations were, hitherto, limited to roadblocks and checkpoints, escort duties and providing security for road construction workers. Battles are seldom carried to the main Boko Haram and Bandits camps.

The induction of the special forces, especially the 402 SF Brigade with her 2 Special Forces Battalions comprising of the 134 SF and 198 SF as well as the 167 SF And DHQ SOF, significantly changed the pattern of the operations of the troops in terrorised Kaduna State

Troops of the special forces sleep in the jungle, a gladdening confirmation of the fact that the military now takes the offensive to the terrorists rather than mounting road blocks and check points. This has enhanced the endurance of the troops for more successful combats with the bandits.

With the refinement of combat strategies by the Lagbaja-led 1 Div, the military began to write spectacular success stories in its battle against terror-banditry in the larger chunk of the Northwest, especially in Kaduna State where the ongoing wave of onslaughts against criminals in their enclaves has drawn significant praises.

The team’s act of bravery and commitment influenced the defeat of the terrorists in the axis of Kuriga, Manini Chikun, Pole Wire, Birnin Gwari, Ungwan Namama, Kwalba, Rafin Dawa Dende,Ungwan Madaki, Buruku, Udawa, Doka, Maganda, Dogon Dawa, Sabon Layi-Kuriga-Maganda-Farin Ruwa, Sabon Birni, Kuyelo,Farin Ruwa, Damba to Kangon Kadi, Labi,Udawa river Apewohe, Dakwala and Kunai among others.

The unit’s contributions also led to death of many terrorists, in Maidaro, Kagi Hill, Kusharki, Zartake, Ungwan Lima Riyawa, Tungan Madaki, Gengere,Kaso Gwagwada-Chikun-Sarkin Pawa Kidandan, Giwa LGA. Galadimawa, Dogon Dawa, Saulawa, Maidaro, Maganda, Goron Dutse, Sararai, Kushaka, Kuriga, and Yelwa among others.

The successes recorded on the operations led to the capturing of several enemy weapons, motorcycles, rescue of captured victims and destruction of terrorists enclaves.

The team artfully ensured that flashpoints within the Kaduna General area were kept in check to prevent any form of dissent or criminal activities from any quarter.

So delightening have been the success stories of the army operations against the bandits that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, felt obliged to rain commendations on the troops under 1 Div for their gallantry and urged them not to relent until terrorism and other criminalities are brought to an end in the region.

Though unsung in the pages of Nigerian newspapers or television screens, the numerous successful operations which had resulted to the death of yet-to-be-specified number of terrorists and destruction of their sanctuaries and strongholds can never be downplayed.

Zagazola is a Counterinsurgency Expert and Security Analyst

Crime

Two Octogenarians arrested for dealing in illicit drug as NDLEA intercepts N3.2 billion worth of aploids

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Two Octogenarians arrested for dealing in illicit drug as NDLEA intercepts N3.2 billion worth of aploids

By: Michael Mike

Two octogenarians: an 80-year-old grandpa Ayuba Ashiru and 82-year-old grandma Mrs. Uloma Uchechi as well as her daughter Chisom Uchechi, 32, top the list of suspects arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) in raids carried out across the country while opioids worth over N3.2 billion were intercepted at Apapa seaport in Lagos and Port Harcourt port, Onne, Rivers state.

Ayuba had previously been arrested and prosecuted by NDLEA for drug dealing offences and convicted and served 10-year jail term between 2014 and 2024.

He was again arrested last Wednesday at Barazana street, Dogarawa area of Sabon Gari local government area. Kaduna State by NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence.

A total of 2.3 kilogrammes of skunk packaged in nylons and papers in retail sizes were recovered from him. He claimed to have been in the illicit drug trade for the past 46 years.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives in Abia state on Saturday raided the home of 82-year-old Mrs. Uloma Uchechi at Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village where different quantities of methamphetamine, tramadol and skunk, a strain of cannabis as well as a cash exhibit of N130,600 were recovered from her and her daughter, 32-year-old Chisom Uchechi. The grandma confessed that she and her daughter took over the drug trade after her son who started the business died two years ago.

At the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers state, a total 3,000,000 pills of tapentadol and carisoprodol royal 225mg worth N2.1 billion in street value were intercepted in one of the containers watch-listed by the agency based on intelligence. The seizure was made last Wednesday during a joint examination of the container by NDLEA officers, men of Customs Service and other security agencies.

NDLEA operatives also at the Apapa seaport in Lagos last Tuesday intercepted another watch-listed container declared to have new car parts and accessories from India. During a joint examination with other security agencies, a total of 169,800 bottles of codeine syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value were discovered concealed in the shipment.

In Kwara state, no fewer than 199,200 pills of tramadol were recovered from two suspects: Abdulwahab Quadir and Abdulraheem Ismail last Friday following their arrest at Gegele area of Ilorin by NDLEA operatives who also raided Favour Lodge in the state capital where an HND 1 student of the Department of Laboratory Science Technology, Kwara State Polytechnic, Ibrahim Abdulateef was arrested with 650 grammes of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis already measured in 149 cups, which he sells to other students.

At a courier company in Lagos, NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) last Friday
intercepted 250 grammes of cocaine concealed in female headgear going to Australia.

In Niger state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road lasr Thursday intercepted a Toyota Carina car marked AGL 945 BK conveying 316 blocks of skunk weighing 143 kilogrammes while a suspect, Idris Kamal, 35, was arrested. Same day, operatives on patrol at Chachi junction along Kaduna road arrested Emmanuel Hassan, 26, with 14.3 kilogrammes Loud. A swift follow up operation led to the arrest of the actual owner of the consignment, Bello Aliyu (alias Liti), 39.

While a 60-year-old suspect, Welman Kengbo was nabbed by NDLEA officers with 594.8 kilogrammes skunk at Karu area of Nasarawa state last Friday, another suspect Oyenuga Toheeb was arrested along Lekki/Epe expressway, Lagos last Thursday with 67.5 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive substance.

In Taraba state, 5,350 pills of tramadol and diazepam were recovered from a suspect, Shafiu Ismail, 22, when he was arrested last Thursday at Sabonlayin, Jalingo local government area, while Tijjani Mohammed, 35, was nabbed with 198 kilogrammes skunk at Malamawa, Garki local government area, Jigawa state same day.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja – Kaduna highway last Friday intercepted a 29-year-old Ismail Isah with an AK 47 rifle and two magazines concealed in a sack of maize. He will be transferred to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

While commending the officers and men of DOGI, Abia, Kaduna, Kwara, PHIPC, Apapa, Lagos, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Taraba, and Niger commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Two Octogenarians arrested for dealing in illicit drug as NDLEA intercepts N3.2 billion worth of aploids

Crime

Boko Haram’s new video tactics raise national security concerns

Published

14 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Boko Haram’s new video tactics raise national security concerns

By: Zagazola Makama

In an era defined by the rapid evolution of digital technologies, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for public engagement, awareness creation, and communication. However, this same medium has also been weaponised by terror groups such as Boko Haram, particularly its Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’Awati wal-Jihad (JAS) factions, to fuel violent extremism and undermine national security efforts.

Zagazola has been raising alarm following spate of Boko Haram propaganda videos, notably one featuring a youthful and energetic speaker, estimated to be between the ages of 19 and 21, appearing to revive the disbanded rhetoric and style of the late Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. There were also several platforms on TikTok which job is to propagate and recycle old preaching of Muhammad Yusuf, the Founder of Boko Haram and Abubakar Shekau.

The videos, circulated widely on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook, have not only praised the resilience of the jihadist movement but also openly criticised the Nigerian government and its armed forces.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert monitoring developments in the Lake Chad region, described the development as “a dangerous trend capable of influencing vulnerable minds, inciting hatred against the state, and reinvigorating terrorism recruitment channels, especially among urban sympathizers.”

One of the central figures in the new video wave is allegedly an ardent follower of Bakura Doro, also known as Abu Ummaima, a senior commander of the JAS faction. However, intelligence observers are questioning the credibility and coherence of his message. “It is strange that an alleged JAS loyalist is speaking on behalf of ISWAP, a rival group that has repeatedly clashed with JAS,” a senior security source noted. “It suggests that the speaker may not be a frontline fighter, but rather an urban propagandist exploiting social media to sow confusion and fear.”

This comes amid heightened security tension in Borno State following renewed attacks by ISWAP on military positions and recent civilian killings in Mallam Karamti and Dawashi areas. In contrast, JAS has maintained a relatively lower profile since their last major confrontation with Chadian troops in 2024.

The disturbing development coincides with a broader national conversation on digital regulation and cyber monitoring, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections. Analysts warn that allowing such inflammatory content to thrive online not only emboldens terror groups but also poses grave implications for national stability, as hostile actors may leverage the content to erode public trust in democratic institutions.

“The fact that terror sympathisers can trend such messages unchecked is a glaring indictment of our current digital response capabilities,” Makama said. “These individuals must be tracked, their platforms dismantled, and the content removed without delay.”

There must be an improved coordination among the Nigerian Police, the Defence Intelligence Agency, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to map out and neutralize digital terror cells.

We must invest in cutting-edge surveillance and artificial intelligence tools to identify these digital propagandists. They are as dangerous as gunmen in the field. The battlefront has shifted; modern warfare is now fought with both bullets and bandwidth,” Zagazola warned.

He added that Nigerian authorities have in the past succeeded in working with global social media giants to remove extremist content. However, experts say the country must now institutionalise a domestic capability to detect, counter, and neutralise online threats in real time.

The National Orientation Agency and the Ministry of Communications are also being urged to scale up counter-narratives, promote digital literacy among citizens, and provide accurate, timely updates to counteract disinformation.

The time has come for Nigeria to treat the digital domain as an active battlefield one that requires as much vigilance, strategy, and firepower as any other theatre of conflict. The war is no longer only in the forests of Sambisa or the shores of Lake Chad; it is also on the screens of millions.

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

Boko Haram’s new video tactics raise national security concerns

Crime

Borno police recover AK-47 rifle during operation to retrieve rustled sheep in Konduga

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Borno police recover AK-47 rifle during operation to retrieve rustled sheep in Konduga

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have recovered an AK-47 rifle following a joint operation to retrieve rustled domestic animals in Konduga.

Zagazola Makama, gathered that the teams comprising Army, police tactical units, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters recovered the rifle from the bush during efforts to recover stolen sheep.

This development follows earlier reports on acts of terrorism, theft of domestic animals, culpable homicide, and causing grievous hurt in the area.

Borno police recover AK-47 rifle during operation to retrieve rustled sheep in Konduga