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Lagbaja And Banditry Battle In North-West Nigeria

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Lagbaja And Banditry Battle In North-West Nigeria

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 

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Armed Mob Led By “Bullet” Storms Aboh Ogwashi-Uku, Attacks Police Officers, Destroys Property Amid Ongoing Federal Court Case

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Armed Mob Led By “Bullet” Storms Aboh Ogwashi-Uku, Attacks Police Officers, Destroys Property Amid Ongoing Federal Court Case

Aboh Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State —

Pandemonium broke out yesterday in Aboh Ogwashi-Uku as a violent group of attackers alleged to be from Ibusa descended on the community in a coordinated assault that left residents injured, properties destroyed, and a serving police officer seriously wounded.

Eyewitness accounts and security sources confirmed that the attack was led by one Lucky Abuah, popularly known as “Bullet,” described by law enforcement authorities as a repeat offender and a person of interest in multiple violent incidents across jurisdictions.

The attackers reportedly invaded the area in broad daylight, unleashing violence on residents and damaging structures before security forces responded.

Swift intervention by officers from the Ogwashi-Uku Area Command and reinforcements from the Delta State Police Headquarters, Asaba, brought the situation under control after an intense confrontation.

The attackers were eventually repelled, restoring a tense calm to the area.

Police sources disclosed that Lucky Abuah is already wanted by authorities in Abuja in connection with similar violent activities, and that criminal charges bordering on aggravated assault and grievous harm have been filed against him at the Delta State High Court.

A senior community leader, Chief Ralph Okafor, reacting to the incident, condemned the attack in strong terms, describing Abuah and his associates as “notorious land grabbers” who have repeatedly carried out violent incursions into neighbouring communities.

“This is not an isolated incident. These individuals have a pattern of using violence and intimidation to push false claims. What happened in Aboh Ogwashi-Uku is a clear example of lawlessness that must be decisively addressed,” he stated.

The attack comes at a highly sensitive time, coinciding with the commencement of proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on March 18, 2026, before Honourable Justice Omotosho, concerning the proper name and legal location of Admiralty University.

Members of the Ogwashi-Uku community maintain that the institution is situated within Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government Area, and not in Oshimili North, stressing that local government boundaries are constitutional matters that cannot be altered arbitrarily or by administrative claims.

According to community sources, the recognized boundary between Ibusa (Oshimili North) and Ogwashi-Uku lies several kilometers away from the university’s actual location, and the matter is now squarely before the Federal High Court for judicial determination.

Observers have raised concerns that the violent incident may not be unconnected with attempts by certain elements to preempt or influence ongoing judicial proceedings through intimidation and public pressure.

There are also growing criticisms of calls from some Ibusa figures urging government intervention in a matter already pending before competent courts, a move legal experts describe as a dangerous encroachment on judicial independence.

Chief Okafor further dismissed claims circulating in some quarters about a purported 1986 Supreme Court judgment allegedly settling the boundary dispute, describing such assertions as “false, misleading, and legally untenable.”

“The Delta State Government does not execute court judgments. It is the courts that enforce their decisions through due process. How can anyone suddenly resurrect a supposed judgment from forty years ago, which did not even address boundary issues, and attempt to use it to justify present-day claims? It is completely absurd,” he said.

He emphasized that the actual boundary dispute between the two communities is currently before the Delta State High Court, presided over by Honourable Justice Obi, and urged all parties to respect the judicial process.

“No amount of intimidation, propaganda, or violent grandstanding will alter the facts before the court. Ogwashi-Uku will not be bullied or pushed around by fabricated claims,” he added.

The latest development sharply contradicts recent narratives from Ibusa representatives portraying the community as peaceful and law-abiding, raising serious questions about the credibility of such claims in light of the violent events in Aboh Ogwashi-Uku.

Security has since been reinforced in the affected areas, while residents remain on edge, calling on authorities to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

As tensions continue to rise, all eyes are now on both the Federal High Court in Abuja and the Delta State High Court in Asaba, where the legal battles over boundary and institutional identity are expected to provide definitive answers.

For many observers, however, one thing is clear — the rule of law, not violence, will determine the true ownership and identity of the disputed territory.

Armed Mob Led By “Bullet” Storms Aboh Ogwashi-Uku, Attacks Police Officers, Destroys Property Amid Ongoing Federal Court Case

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RPGs, ammunition recovered from neutralised bandits in Katsina

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RPGs, ammunition recovered from neutralised bandits in Katsina

By: Zagazola Makama

Security operatives in Katsina have recovered two rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) rifles and large quantities of ammunition from three bandits neutralised in a recent clash with community vigilantes.

Sources said the discovery was made on Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. in Sabon Gida Village, Jibia Local Government Area, following a violent confrontation between vigilante members and repentant bandits on March 17.

According to the sources, a concealed sack recovered from the neutralised bandits contained two RPG rifles, 139 rounds of live ammunition, and two magazine chains.

The items were safely recovered by security personnel.

RPGs, ammunition recovered from neutralised bandits in Katsina

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Troops arrest two suspected ISWAP informants in Borno

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Troops arrest two suspected ISWAP informants in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested two suspected informants linked to ISWAP in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno.

Security sources said the suspects were apprehended at about 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday following credible intelligence from a watchkeeper on suspicious movements within the Mainok general area.

According to the sources, troops of the 156 Task Force Battalion swiftly responded and intercepted the suspects while moving towards the Goni–Masari axis.

The sources disclosed that the suspects were found in possession of electrical cables at the time of their arrest, raising suspicions over possible sabotage or support activities for terrorist elements.

“They are currently in custody and undergoing preliminary investigation to ascertain their roles and possible links with terrorist groups,” the source said.

He added that the operation underscores the importance of community-based intelligence in ongoing counter-insurgency efforts across the North-East.

The source reaffirmed that troops remain vigilant and committed to denying terrorists freedom of action within their areas of responsibility.

Troops arrest two suspected ISWAP informants in Borno

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