Emir of Gusau in Zamfara State, Ibrahim Bello, has raised fresh concerns over the worsening insecurity in Northern Nigeria, revealing that the country’s banditry crisis intensified after armed fighters from neighbouring Mali, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Niger were recruited into local criminal networks.
The traditional ruler made the disclosure while speaking on the deepening security challenges confronting Zamfara State and other parts of the North, warning that the influx of foreign combatants has transformed what was once a local security problem into a more sophisticated and dangerous cross-border insurgency.
According to the Emir, the recruitment of experienced fighters from the troubled Sahel region significantly strengthened the operational capacity of bandit groups, making them more organised, heavily armed and increasingly difficult for security agencies to contain.
He explained that many of the foreign recruits had acquired extensive combat experience from years of violent conflicts in their home countries before crossing into Nigeria, where they allegedly joined forces with local criminal gangs involved in mass kidnappings, cattle rustling, village raids and attacks on rural communities.
The monarch lamented that communities across Zamfara and neighbouring states have continued to bear the devastating consequences of the growing alliance between local bandits and foreign mercenaries, with thousands of residents displaced, farmlands abandoned and economic activities severely disrupted.
He stressed that the worsening security situation has also threatened food production across the region, as many farmers remain unable to cultivate their lands for fear of attacks, further compounding the humanitarian and economic challenges facing Northern Nigeria.
The Emir called for stronger border security and enhanced collaboration among countries within the Sahel and West African region to stem the movement of armed groups across national boundaries. He also urged the Federal Government to intensify intelligence gathering, strengthen military operations and address the socio-economic conditions that criminal groups exploit to recruit vulnerable youths.
Security experts have repeatedly warned that the collapse of security in parts of the Sahel has contributed to the proliferation of arms and the movement of armed groups across porous borders into Nigeria, particularly in states bordering the Niger Republic.
The Emir’s remarks come amid sustained military offensives against armed groups in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and other North-West states, where security agencies continue to battle banditry, kidnapping and violent attacks that have claimed thousands of lives in recent years.
