Terrorists and Bandits Are Now Operating A Parallel Government 

By Barr. (Dr.) Nurudeen Idris Marafa

Terrorism, banditry and kidnapping are the most emerging and deadliest crimes in Nigeria now. Killing of innocent lives and abduction is now a daily routine. These non-state actors carrying out this evil acts are so sophisticated that they sometimes overpower our military and one keep wondering how they get their weapons.

I remember while growing up in the 80’s, we are only aware of Armed robbery as the most heinous crime then. Notorious highway Armed robbers like Anini and Jb were among the notable ones then. But around early 2000 upward, we started hearing about kidnapping in the Niger delta region. Militants in the oil region do kidnap oil workers that are foreign nationals and demand ransom in return.

Although It started as an agitation for resource control and environmental rights as a result of the effects of crude oil exploration and refining. Among the genuine agitators then was an environmental right activist, Ken saro-wiwa who was later executed with some Ogoni activists during the Abacha era in a controversial circumstances. Yar’adua government later offered an amnesty programme that yielded a positive one.

Fast forward to the regime of Goodluck Jonathan, terrorism became more pronounced in the North with Boko haram insurgency. Bombings and suicide bombings and the abduction of the Chibok school girls in 2014 is still in our memory. The insurgency gradually transformed to banditry and kidnapping during the Buhari civilian administration.

Consequently, the situation of insecurity became exacerbated with the current administration of Bola Tinubu. Terrorism, banditry and kidnapping is the order of the day. Areas in Nigeria that have never experienced terrorism now live in fear, agony and uncertainty. Particularly Kwara State that was known for harmony and peaceful coexistence. The only senatorial district that is speared is the kwara central. Kwara North has the worst hit with the recent woro massacre in kaiama local government, that claimed over 200 lives and 176 women and Children still in captivity. The Boko haram/ISWAP claimed responsibility and even released a video of the abducted women and Children. The women spoke in English, Hausa and bokobaru languages urging the the government at all levels to intervene for their release.

Moreover, Bornu state that was known as the epicentre of terrorism was gradually having reduction in insurgency and rebuilding between 2024 and 2025 until the recent bombings and abductions of over 400 people in ngoshe community who are mostly women and Children around March, 2026. Other epicentres like Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and sokoto States respectively also has the worst hit of terrorism reported in this 2026.

What baffled one most is the boldness and confidence of some of these terrorists and bandits operating social media handles without covering their faces, displaying and celebrating ransom collected, torturing and beating kidnapped victims on social media without covering their faces. These acts of boldness raises concerns and questions about the responsibility of government in securing lives and properties of its citizenry.

Are the terrorists overpowering our security services? Is Nigeria turning to a failed state and anarchy? The fact remains that some areas have been taken over by terrorists in Nigeria. Areas like the sambisa forest and some communities in Bornu have been taken over by the terrorists. The Birnin gwari axis/highway along Kaduna Road had since being a no-go area for motorists. Borgu areas that formed parts of Kaiama Local Government and Baruten local government area of kwara state, New Bussa in Niger State and some parts in neighbouring Benin Republic have been dominated with terrorism in recent time. The forest reserves of Kainji Lake National park that boardered this Borgu communities which was onced a relaxation centre is now a terrorists den. Some communities in the southern part of Kwara have been deserted due to banditry and kidnapping.

Meanwhile, the major question that raises concern is that, who are those behind terrorism sponsorship? Mostly, the objective of a terrorist that shed the blood of innocent lives and abduct is for an economic interest and territorial control. To me, religious interest is out of it because no religion preaches killing without a just cause. Those claiming religion are only hiding under that umbrella to perpetrate evil. The actors of these deadly affairs are in three forms. Those that sponsor it, either with cash or logistics support/supply, those that give information and those that carry out the crime/on the field. In my opinion, the deadliest among them is the sponsor/logistics supplier and the informant. Without these two, the one on the field cannot carry out a successful operation. And these two could be living among the people carrying out their normal activities. This is a call for action to kill the snake by cutting its head.

Finally, I pray and hope that Nigeria will overcome this daunting challenges of insecurity so that we can sleep with our two eyes and move freely without the fear of attack by these evil people.

Idris Marafa is a Lawyer, Writer and a Public Affairs Analyst.

idrisnurudeen54@gmail.com