By Suleima Umaru
This is not the best of times for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who incidentally was a former governor of Lagos state. The Nigerian President’s source of unhappiness was that Terrorism, perpetuated in the north eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Banditry in the north western states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna and Katsina, have persisted for too long and must be contained by the military to give Nigerians a breather.
The Nigerian Leader who may not have been happy that terrorists and Bandits, operating from different parts of the Sahel region, particular, Burkina Faso, Niger and the Central African country of Cameroun , including Mali, conniving with their local armed Herdsmen collaborators have taken over parts of the valley and forests in Nigeria was said to have sounded it loud and clear that ‘’these menace must not claim any inch of the country’s territory whether in the north central, or north western geo-political regions.
Only recently, the Islamic Fundamentalist Group, BokoHaram, operating in the north eastern region were said to have attacked a military base in Bunigari in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe state.
The Boko haram killer gang were said to have attacked the 27 Task Force Brigade in Bunigari military base in Yobe state less than 48 hours after the north eastern governors held its 11th security meeting in Damaturu, the Yobe state Capital. The governors were said to have adopted a common approach to tackle the insecurity challenges in the region.
Unconfirmed reports indicates that both not for the quick response of the soldiers who had engaged the insurgents who were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons in a shootout they would have overrun the Brigade Headquarters as they were determined to do so with their foreign backers.
It would be recalled that while on a recent visit to the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Katsina, home state of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Lagos born Politician, who could not hide his feelings was said to have stated to the hearing of the soldiers, ‘’let your resolve echo through every valley and forest in Nigeria to flush out the terrorists and bandits across the country’’.
The Boko Haram insurgents were said to be firing from different directions in the Bunigari Community to test the will of the soldiers but were disappointed as the soldiers stood their ground forcing them to flee into the forest for their safety.
There are indications that for the insurgents who are pushing to recover their lost grounds in Borno and Yobe states, over the last few weeks, had some military operations in the two north eastern state. The north eastern states-based insurgents were said to have destroyed cell culvert along Gonri road as well as abducted individuals along the Damaturu-Biu- road, thus creating fear and tension in the hearts of residents of the surrounding Communities to the Yobe state Capital, Damaturu, and Biu, a major town in the state.
The questions on the lips of most people: was how the Borno and Yobe state- based terrorists which the Borno state governor had repeatedly said had been reduced to over 90% in the two states of the north eastern region suddenly bounced back to displace thousands of residents in their communities, if there are no moles in the region.
The governor had confirmed that there are only pockets of BokoHram and ISWAP, fighters operating from the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin, Sambisa Forest and Mandara Hills, which was nothing to worry about. .
Last April, Bagana Zulum, a professor and governor of Borno state under the siege of the BokoHaram and the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, had warned that terrorism are making a comeback to the two north eastern states as they gain control of more lands going their intensified attacks.
The Borno state governor may have been encouraged to speak out because Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, had confirmed of the resurgence of terrorism in the Borno and Yobe with groups like ‘’BokoHaram and ISWAP, gaining strength and adopting new tactics of attacks’’.
It would be recalled that during the President’s recent visit to the 17 Brigade, in Katsina state, described as a moral bolster to the fighting troops, he was said to have made the military authorities to understand that this battle against terrorism and banditry in different parts of the country will not ‘’be won by weapons alone but by their will to stand resist ‘’, fight and triumph’’.
There is no gain saying the fact that while the fighting troops in Borno and Yobe states are making desperate efforts to contain the activities of the die-hard Mahmouda terrorists who had escaped from Burkina Faso, particular, into the north central states of Kwara, Benue and Plateau states which are still pushing to gain ground in the three states, the Force operatives appear no to be giving them any breather.
Acting out a script of Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, the recent assassination of three bandits operating around the Shiete and Ukum, axis after their secret meetings at Sankera axis, planning attacks on security agencies operatives in the area speaks volume.
In achieving the feat, the Benue Police operatives were said to have engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle near Tse-Gondo village, where the three bandits were said to have fallen to the superior fire power of the force.
Muyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police and the Force spokesperson may have gladdened the heart of Nigerians when he disclosed that several exhibits were recovered from the suspected foreign bandits and their local armed herdsmen collaborators including two locally fabricated guns and live cartridges at the scene of gun dual.
Also in Delta state, home state of Ifeanyi Okowa, Vice Presidential Candidate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, in the platform of the Opposition People’s Deocratic Party, PDP, in the February 25, 2023, general, the police operatives were said to have arrested one Henry Okpor, described as ‘’a serial car snatcher in the state’’.
Note that April 22nd, 2025, may have been a bad day for the said Okpor who fell into the waiting hands of the Delta state Force Operatives as a pump action gun, a Toyota Highlander, with Reg. No.RBC-414-BL and Hyundai car, with reg. No. LSD-367-DU-, believed to have been stolen from his victims were recovered from him in his forest hideout in the state.
Also, on April 25, 2025, a sting operation that was said to have been carried by Abniwonda Olufemi, the state Commissioner of Police and his team, were said to have led to the arrest of the duo, Mudiaga Okparume and Arinze Humble, described as confirmed members of the Vikings confraternity. The police Commissioner led team were said to have recovered two Berretta pistols and five rounds of live ammunition from the duo.
The Delta state Command sting team were said to have trailed the kidnappers to Uvwiama forest in Ughelli North Local Government area of the Niger Delta state where the two persons kidnapped from Agbarho Community w on April 26, 2025, were rescued, during an intense gun battle.
Given the impressive works of the officers in different states of the country in the recent time, the IGP, was said to have assured Nigerians that the era of the Kidnappers entering into Communities or ambush vehicles, kidnap and run into the forest is over as police operatives are equal to the task.
The IGP, who was said to have repeatedly said at every forum that there was no cause for, had said that the Force would ‘’leave no stone unturned in ensuring the safety and security of Nigerians in every part of the country’’. Nigerian are watching to see how he will go about going by the porous state of Nigeria borders with the neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and the Central African country of Cameroun that allows for cross-border movement.
