Defence/Security

Troops on Zamfara highways Rekindles Hopes***As Locals Seek Night Patrols.By Special Correspondent.

Published

2 months ago

June 3, 2025

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Commuters and commercial drivers plying the Gusau–Tsafe highway in Zamfara State say the enhanced military presence in the area has brought renewed hope for safe travel after years of fear and deadly bandit attacks.

Zagazola Makama report that the highway, once a corridor of terror where bandits routinely blocked roads, abducted travellers, and ransacked surrounding villages, is now seeing relative calm within the last few months due to intensified operations by Nigerian Army troops, particularly along the Tsafe- Gusau road.

Commercial driver, Usman Bala, who plies the Gusau–Funtua route daily, said that the change is noticeable.

“We used to drive with our hearts in our mouths. Anytime we passed Dan Mali or Babban Kauye, we prayed hard. But now, soldiers are stationed at key flashpoints. You feel a sense of safety you haven’t felt in years,” he said.

Another commercial driver, Musa Lawali, echoed Bala’s sentiment, noting that bandits used to operate with impunity around Makera and Asaula.

“Before, we avoided evening trips. From 4:30 p.m., the road was a death trap. But now, I can move even close to 7 p.m. because I know troops are patrolling. Their presence alone scares the criminals,” Lawali said.

Private motorist Amina Idris, who travels from Gusau to Tsafe weekly for business, said her confidence has improved with every trip.

“I used to dread the journey, especially at Bamamu and Tashan Jirgi axis. I would call my family before I left and when I arrived. Now, I see military checkpoints and even patrols. It’s encouraging,” she said.

Similarly, Dauda Garba, a truck driver who frequently passes through Tsafe, described a recent encounter where troops responded swiftly to an attempted roadblock by suspected bandits.

“They came in within minutes. We saw the gun trucks approach, and the criminals ran. That kind of quick response saves lives,” Garba said.

Another commuter, Suleiman Ibrahim, who drives a private vehicle between Tsafe and Yankara, confirmed that the fear of daytime travel has reduced significantly.

“Before now, even private motorists had to follow convoys or wait for military escort. Now, we go freely. The presence of troops has changed the game,” he said.

But despite the improvements, traditional leaders and community stakeholders are calling for additional measures particularly night patrols to tackle nocturnal attacks.

The Yandoton Tsafe, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammadu Bawa, commended the military for recent gains but warned that many villages on the fringes of Tsafe are still vulnerable to night raids.

“We have seen progress in the last few weeks. Our roads are safer by day. But the bandits now operate at night. They move through forest corridors and attack villages like Makera, Bamamu, Tashan Jirgi, Dan Mali, Asaula, and Babban Kauye under cover of darkness,” he said.

Another sources from Tsafe identified some of the notorious elements behind these attacks, including a bandit leader known as Bakin Malam, and others such as Hassan Fari, Sarki, son of notorious bandit Ado Allero, and Umaru, son of kingpin Anaruwa.

“These are not petty criminals. They are experienced and armed. We appeal to the Nigerian Army to extend their operations to night patrols. That is when these terrorists strike the most,” he added.

He urged the deployment of additional combat platforms like CSK gun trucks and surveillance drones to cover forest routes and hard-to-reach enclaves where bandits regroup after daytime setbacks.

Despite the lingering threats, residents are beginning to reclaim their confidence, a development largely attributed to the recent push by the Nigerian Army to dominate key transportation routes and neutralise armed groups.

Though, Abdulkarim Abubakar, said the threat still persist along Kauran Namoda Road as notorious bandit kingpin Dan Sadiya is still posing significant threat to motorists and the community with attacks recorded almost every two days.

Meanwhile a frontline commander, told journalists that the military had repelled multiple attacks, recovered weapons including bomb components, and foiled bandits’ attempt to launch coordinated raids in Mada and Kizara areas.

“As the rains approach, we are working to secure farming communities so they can plant in peace,” he said.

For now, travellers like Usman Bala are simply grateful for the return of movement and peace on roads once feared for death and disappearance.

“Every peaceful journey we make is a blessing. We just want the soldiers to keep going and start moving at night too,” he added.

Defence/Security

Herdsmen Kill Three in Fresh Benue Attack, Residents Block Highway in Protest

Published

5 hours ago

August 11, 2025

Our Reporter

By: Fabian Apechihin

Residents of Yelwata, Benue State, on Monday blocked the Makurdi–Abuja federal highway to protest the killing of three people in an early morning attack by suspected armed herdsmen.

Sources told Chronicle NG that the assailants invaded the community around 7 a.m., shooting indiscriminately. Three people were killed and three others injured.

In anger, residents placed the victims’ bodies on the road, halting traffic and preventing vehicles from passing.

Community youth leader Achii Mathias said, “The Fulanis again attacked our community this morning around 7 a.m., shooting sporadically. They killed three people and injured three others. As I speak, the Security Adviser to the governor and the Chairman of Guma LGA are here assessing the situation.”

When contacted, Benue State Police spokesperson DSP Udeme Edet said she had yet to receive an official report. “The moment I have the report, I will send it to you,” she stated.

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Defence/Security

FG Lacks Clear Strategy to Tackle Insecurity, Terrorism in Middle-Belt – Ayatutu Professors

Published

14 hours ago

August 11, 2025

Our Reporter

By: Fabian Apechihin

MAKURDI: The Forum of Ayatutu Professors (FAP) in Benue State has criticised the Federal Government for failing to show any deliberate or coherent strategy to address insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria, particularly in the Middle-Belt.

In a statement signed by Prof. Tor Iorapuu (Chairman) and Prof. Simon Irtwange (Secretary) of the Forum’s Board of Trustees and Council of Management, FAP dismissed claims that the country lacks sufficient security personnel to tackle the crisis.

The group’s remarks were issued in solidarity with Prof. Zacharys Gundu, who recently came under fire from Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule. They urged the Federal Government to move beyond “mere declarations” and implement “strict securitisation and territorialisation” of Nigeria’s borders to block terrorists, bandits, and foreign invaders.

“Nigeria is under siege, and the Federal Government has failed to demonstrate the will to protect the lives of its citizens,” the statement read. “What we are witnessing is not random violence but organised mass atrocities, particularly in the North Central region.”

FAP stressed that Nigeria has no shortage of capable military generals or skilled police officers, yet the country “bleeds daily.” They warned that the consequences of inaction are “worse than war,” pointing to decades of massacres in Benue, Plateau, and Southern Kaduna, where churches, schools, and communities have become “massacre memorials.”

The Forum cited recent examples, including the June 13–14 killings in Yelewata, Guma LGA, Benue State, where over 200 people were massacred, and the attack on Jebbu community in Plateau State, which occurred just a kilometre from a major military checkpoint.

FAP drew parallels to the United States’ response to the September 11 attacks, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to “use all necessary and appropriate force” to neutralise those behind the violence. They also challenged Governor Sule to clear himself of allegations of complicity, including claims of pressuring a Myetti Allah leader to form a militia and engaging in land grabs from Tiv communities.

The group condemned what it called the government’s “over-focus on political moments and elections” while citizens face existential threats. “Citizens need freedom and security, not political rhetoric,” the statement said.

FAP called on the Federal Government to:

Compensate all victims of attacks in Benue, Plateau, and Southern Kaduna.
Include affected areas in the country’s Humanitarian Response Plan.
Empower the proposed North Central Development Commission to restore livelihoods and protect farmers.
Invite international agencies to investigate decades-long “deliberate annihilation” in Central Nigeria.

“The time for rhetoric is over. Nigeria must act decisively, or continue to watch its people be uprooted, humiliated, and slaughtered,” the Forum declared.

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Defence/Security

Air Force Jets Bombard Bandit Wedding Ceremony Dozens Killed

Published

4 days ago

August 7, 2025

Our Reporter

A major blow was dealt to criminal elements in Zamfara State as the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) launched a successful airstrike on a large gathering of armed bandits attending a wedding ceremony at Asaula Hills, in Yankuzo Ward, Tsafe Local Government Area.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the precision strike, carried out in the afternoon of Tuesday, August 5, was based on credible intelligence from local sources and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) operatives.

The sources said that the intelligence revealed that scores of bandits from different enclaves were converging at Asaula Hill a rugged, elevated terrain for a mass wedding ceremony.

The sources said that at exactly 1444 hours, field reports confirmed the presence of a large number of heavily armed bandits, some on over 100 motorcycles, assembled at the location.

“In response, the air component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, under the Nigerian Air Force’s Sector 2 Command, immediately deployed a fighter jet to engage the target,” the source said.

The strike was executed at about 1600 hours and caught the criminals by surprise at the peak of the celebration.

“The wedding brought together bandit factions from Faskari and Kankara LGAs in Katsina State, and other enclaves across Zamfara. Dozens were neutralised instantly, while many others were critically injured. The survivors were seen evacuating the wounded to Yankuzo village for treatment,” the source added.

Zagazola gathered that further reconnaissance and follow-up intelligence indicated that at least 10 identifiable bodies were recovered by the evening of the strike, while several others were burnt beyond recognition.

Local informants reported that no fewer than 33 injured bandits were receiving makeshift treatment at the Comprehensive Health Centre in Yankuzo and in nearby hamlets.

It is believed that the number of fatalities may be higher, considering the scale of the gathering and the intensity of the bombardment.

“Some of the injured bandits are being secretly treated by unqualified health workers. It is recommended that ground troops conduct mop-up operations both at the strike site and at suspected recovery points like Yankuzo village,”said the sources.

Operation FANSAN YAMMA, launched earlier this year, is a renewed joint military offensive across the North West, targeting known terrorist enclaves, logistics hubs, and command structures of bandit groups operating in Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto States.