EXCLUSIVE: Emir Of Lafiagi Threatens Journalists Over Reports On Terrorist Attacks In Kwara North

Journalists in Kwara State are facing mounting intimidation after the Emir of Lafiagi, Alhaji Muhammad Kudu Kawu, reportedly threatened them for consistently reporting terrorist and bandit attacks in Kwara North communities.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the monarch summoned journalists to his palace on Sunday, warning them to stop publishing reports on insecurity, which he claimed were “embarrassing” Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

According to insiders, the Emir said he was acting on the governor’s directive and cautioned that journalists who defied the order risked arrest.

The threat comes amid rising insecurity in Lafiagi, Patigi, and surrounding areas, where residents have endured repeated kidnappings, killings, and ransom demands by bandits.

Journalists and media platforms including SaharaReporters, Nupeko TV, and Informant247 have previously accused the state government of attempting to silence coverage of insecurity.

The development follows the detention of blogger Abdulsamad Oloyin, popularly known as “Yolo,” by the NSCDC last week over alleged defamation, further fueling concerns of a clampdown on press freedom in the state.

Source: SaharaReporters

#Kwara #PressFreedom #Insecurity

Some Bandits Terrorising Kwara Communities Are Foreigners — Community Leader

No fewer than 3,000 residents from 15 communities in Babanla, Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State, have fled their homes following repeated bandit attacks, kidnappings, and arson.

Community leader Anu Ibiwoye, a PDP chieftain, alleged that many of the attackers are foreign fighters who infiltrated the state, citing testimonies from kidnap victims who identified strange dialects and appearances among the gunmen.

He recalled how nearly 100 armed bandits on motorcycles stormed Babanla, abducting villagers — including the monarch’s wife — shooting vigilantes, and setting patrol vehicles ablaze.

Ibiwoye accused the Kwara State Government of failing to provide meaningful support, saying communities have been left to raise ransoms, buy fuel, and equip vigilantes themselves.

He warned that over 16 communities now stand deserted, markets shut, and farms abandoned, plunging the region into economic hardship.

“This is no longer politics. Bandits are taking over. If urgent action is not taken, we may lose our villages to criminals who are not even Nigerians,” he said.

#Kwara #Insecurity #Banditry

Banditry: CDS Musa Links Troops’ Slow Response To Bad Roads

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, says poor road networks, difficult terrains, and security risks like IEDs are slowing down the military’s response to terror and bandit attacks.

Speaking on Politics Today, Musa stressed that while citizens expect instant intervention, logistical realities make rapid deployment difficult. He noted that in the North-East, troops must sweep roads for explosives before advancing, while some terrains remain impassable for military vehicles.

He added that bandits exploit these weaknesses, striking quickly and fleeing before soldiers arrive.

#NigeriaSecurity #Banditry #Insecurity

News Brief: Katsina Acting Gov Seeks Stronger Military Support Against Banditry

The Acting Governor of Katsina State, Faruk Jobe, has appealed for deeper military collaboration to tackle the persistent banditry threatening rural communities in the state.

Jobe made the call during a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on the sidelines of an International Organization for Migration (IOM) event in Abuja on Tuesday.

He highlighted the displacement, loss of livelihoods, and disruptions to farming caused by bandit attacks, stressing the need for a more coordinated response between state authorities and the military.

“Our people deserve to live in safety and dignity. We will continue to work hand in hand with the Armed Forces and other security agencies until this menace is defeated,” Jobe said.

In response, General Musa assured him of the Armed Forces’ total commitment to defeating banditry, pledging to strengthen ongoing operations in Katsina and other troubled areas.

The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Kadafur, Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, and IOM Deputy Director-General (Operations), Ogechi Daniels, among others.

#Katsina #Banditry #Insecurity #NigeriaSecurity #NigerianArmy #BreakingNews

Bandits move freely around our village,often in broad daylight,as if there is no government-Resident.

About three months ago, armed bandits attacked Kaura Namoda town and Banga village in Zamfara State’s Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, abducting over 50 people, mostly women and children.

According to Daily Trust, the assault was allegedly led by a notorious bandit leader, Dan Sadiya, who is believed to control the area.

Residents reported that the attackers, armed and riding motorbikes, stormed the community at night, conducted house-to-house searches, and abducted victims while looting food and other items. Men reportedly fled into the bush, leaving women and children vulnerable to capture.

Initially, the abductors demanded a ransom of N150 million but later reduced it to N50 million after negotiations. Families of the victims were said to have sold livestock, farm produce, and sought financial help from relatives in cities like Gusau, Kano, Kaduna, and Abuja to meet the demand.

Despite receiving the N50 million, the bandits released only 18 hostages after nearly three months in captivity. Reports indicated that the remaining 38 were killed, with relatives of the victims stating that many were brutally tortured and slaughtered.

Residents of Kaura Namoda have expressed growing concern over the escalating banditry in the area, describing the security situation as increasingly alarming.

One resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that bandits now move freely through villages, heavily armed and operating without any resistance, suggesting a complete breakdown of law enforcement in the region.

“The bandits move freely around our villages, often in broad daylight, carrying dangerous weapons. It’s as if there’s no government presence at all,” he said.

He voiced frustration over the ineffectiveness of military deployments in nearby areas such as Dogon Kebe in Dan Isa and Bungudu Local Government Area. According to him, despite the presence of soldiers, bandit attacks had persisted without restraint, often occurring in broad daylight.

Brief: Katsina Residents Protest Bandit Attacks, Allege Police Crackdown on Peaceful Demonstrators

Residents of Bakori LGA in Katsina State held a peaceful protest over the weekend, demanding urgent government action against persistent bandit attacks that have resulted in deaths, injuries, and kidnappings.

Though the demonstration ended without violence or property damage, SaharaReporters learned that police have begun arresting participants and alleged organisers. Among those targeted is local social media personality, Anas Muhammad Game. While police reportedly missed him during a raid, his younger brother was temporarily detained.

The crackdown has sparked concerns over intimidation and the suppression of free speech. Locals are calling on human rights groups, the media, and concerned Nigerians to intervene, insisting their protest was lawful and driven by insecurity.

Efforts to get a response from the Katsina Police Command were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

“We’re Tired of Living in Fear!” — Katsina Communities Block Highway in Fiery Protest Against Bandit Attacks

Frustration turned to fury in Katsina State as residents of Kwantamawa and Kudewa communities in Kurfi LGA stormed the streets, blocking the Dutsinma-Katsina highway at Tashar Barau, lighting tires ablaze and demanding urgent government action over relentless bandit attacks.

Tired of living under constant threat of abduction, violence, and displacement, the villagers staged a massive protest, crying out for the attention their region has been denied for years.

> “For us to be living this life, it’s better for them to kill us all,”
— A grieving resident told journalist Rukayyah Jibia of News Central TV.

Jibia, who witnessed the chaos firsthand, described the mood as “a community on edge, crying out for survival.” One boy even ran to warn her during the coverage: “The bandits are coming!”

Despite countless appeals to authorities, security presence remains inadequate, leaving residents defenseless and deeply disillusioned.

Local leaders are calling for immediate and decisive intervention to prevent the situation from spiraling further out of control.

#KatsinaProtest #StopTheBandits #RuralVoicesMatter #KwantamawaCrisis

Bandit Attacks: Plateau Govt Asks For Mobile Police, Demands Withdrawal Of Military.

The government has a result called for the deployment of mobile police personnel in the affected communities.
Bandit Attacks
The Plateau State Government has condemned the military’s failure to protect communities that continue to suffer from frequent attacks by armed bandits.

The government has a result called for the deployment of mobile police personnel in the affected communities.

The state government also expressed concern over the activities of military personnel in the areas following recent attacks on villages in Riyom Local Government Area, where 27 persons were killed.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang had during a visit to the affected communities on Wednesday, blamed security personnel for failing to apprehend the perpetrators despite a checkpoint few meters from the scene of the attacks.

Also commenting on the development in a statement on Saturday, Prof. Chris Kwaja, Special Envoy on Peace and Security to the Governor, observed that the presence of soldiers has not yielded positive results with the continued attacks and killings of innocent civilians.

Kwaja called for the deployment of mobile policemen, whom the government believes are better equipped to tackle insecurity and restore sanity in the region.

Kwaja noted, “During the Tuesday night attack, the security forces, especially the Operation Safe Haven, a security tasks force maintaining peace in the state, failed to foil the attack despite their presence in the area.

“The attack was avoidable, given the early warning signs and intelligence reports.”

He said that the Federal Government should, as a matter of priority, consider withdrawing all military personnel deployed in flashpoints and replace them with Mobile Police Squads in order to ensure normalcy in the affected communities.

He opined that the change in approach is necessary to ensure a more effective and responsive security strategy.

Wedding guests killing: Police picked people at drinking joints, farms, markets – Youth leader alleges.

A youth leader in Mangun District of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, Daniel Dawap, has revealed that most of the suspects who were arrested over the mob attack that led to the gruesome killing of 22 guests traveling from Kaduna State for a wedding ceremony in Quan Pa’an LGA, were picked up at drinking joints, farms and on their way from the popular Mangu Market two days after the incident.

The suspects were arraigned at a Jos High Court on Friday, July 11, over the lynching of the travellers, which occurred in the Mangun community on June 21, 2025.

In the tragic incident, a group of 31 wedding guests traveling from Basawa, Zaria in Kaduna, to Qua’an Pan LGA in Plateau, had reportedly missed their way and found themselves in Mangun, a community which had been reeling from bandit attacks.

Believing the travellers to be terrorists, angry youths descended on them and set the bus ablaze, an action that sparked widespread condemnation. The police swung into action and two days later, arrested 22 persons in connection with the attack.

But according to Dawap, most of the suspects may be innocent people who were caught at the wrong places.

The youth leader, who disclosed this to DAILY POST shortly after the suspects were arraigned and remanded at the Jos Correctional Center on Friday, wondered how the police were able to identify the culprits and arrest them days after the incident.

“Let me make one thing clear here. I am not holding brief for the suspects neither do I support the mob action that led to the unfortunate death of the travellers,” Dawap stated.

“No sane person would support such an action no matter the provocation. Yes, our community, like in other parts of Mangu Local Government Area and some other parts of the state have been under constant attacks by bandits and terrorists but that does not give any reason for the mob attack of June 21.