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Retired Generals Drop Bombshell: Military Powerless Against Bandit Taxation
Retired Generals Drop Bombshell: Military Powerless Against Bandit TaxationSome retired military generals have acknowledged that despite ongoing counterterrorism operations, the Nigerian military is unable to prevent residents in conflict-ridden areas from paying levies and ransoms to bandits.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to Ireporter, the former military officers expressed doubts over the military’s capacity to curb these forced payments, citing widespread fear and insecurity in rural communities.
Since banditry transformed into an organized crime network in northern Nigeria—characterized by mass abductions, violent raids, and extortion—many farming communities have been forced to pay ransoms, levies, and protection fees to secure their safety.
These imposed levies range between ₦20 million and ₦200 million, with notorious bandit kingpins threatening to attack villages and farmlands if payments are not made.
Communities Struggling to Raise Ransoms
- July 2024 – Residents of Toro community, Benue State, were forced to sell their farm produce to raise ₦20 million demanded by bandits. Each resident reportedly contributed ₦50,000 to prevent attacks.
- September 2024 – In Moriki town, Zamfara State, locals struggled to raise ₦30 million demanded by infamous bandit leader Bello Turji.
- January 2025 – Another feared bandit leader, Dantsito, issued a ₦200 million levy demand, threatening to invade Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State if unpaid.
- Last week – A Sokoto State lawmaker, Aminu Boza, revealed that Turji had imposed a ₦25 million levy on Sabon Birni villages.
According to the Gobir Development Association, residents across affected regions have paid over ₦160 billion in ransoms and levies to bandits.
Despite the rise in bandit-imposed levies, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has repeatedly urged residents in northern Nigeria not to succumb to financial extortion.
Speaking with Punch, former Commandant of Army Signals and ex-Chief of Defence Training and Planning, Gen. Ishola Williams (retd.), pointed out that public distrust in the military has led communities to comply with bandits’ demands.
“People don’t trust the military anymore. If residents knew the military would act against those extorting them, they wouldn’t waste their money. It’s a matter of trust.”
He also suggested that some members within affected communities may be benefiting from the levies and ransoms, making it difficult to eradicate the practice.
Similarly, Brig. Gen. John Sura (retd.), a former Commander of 1 Division, Nigerian Army, noted that residents in remote areas struggle to heed the military’s advice due to the lack of consistent security presence.
“If someone stronger than you threatens to kill you unless you pay, you have no choice but to comply,” he said.
Sura further emphasized that military forces are mainly stationed at LGA headquarters or major road junctions, leaving villages—some located 5 to 10 kilometers away—without immediate protection.
“This is why many communities resort to self-defense groups, like the Forest Guard in Benue State. Some Bauchi communities inflicted heavy losses on bandits, forcing them to flee.”
Another retired general, speaking anonymously, blamed the military’s limited manpower for its inability to provide adequate security across all affected regions.
“The military can make announcements telling residents not to fear bandits, but the reality is different. The bandits are right there in their communities, armed and in control.”
He further noted that while military operations are conducted in these areas, soldiers do not remain stationed—unlike the bandits who never leave.
“Security agencies can’t be everywhere. In Sokoto, where residents pay bandit levies, the military isn’t present permanently. They come for operations and then leave, but the bandits stay.”
“If criminals are the ones constantly around, who do you think the people will obey? The government forces that come and go, or the armed bandits that live among them?”
With banditry continuing to spread and communities struggling under the weight of extortion, many are calling for urgent government intervention to restore security, trust, and stability in affected regions.
According to Nivo News, the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has declared what he described as divine judgment on bandits and their alleged sponsors responsible for insecurity across parts of Nigeria.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking on Sunday at the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State, during a sermon themed “Covenant Day of Vengeance,” Oyedepo stated that those behind killings, kidnappings, and violent attacks would face divine retribution. He further claimed that within the next seven days, consequences would begin to manifest against those he accused of fueling unrest in the country, assuring worshippers that the coming week would be marked by “testimonies of vengeance.”
He was quoted as saying that judgment had been pronounced on individuals responsible for such acts and their supporters, adding that the outcome he referenced would unfold within a week.
In a related remark during a recent midweek service, Oyedepo also acknowledged the presence of fraudsters within and outside religious spaces, warning that his identity and images were being exploited for fraudulent schemes. He urged members of his congregation to remain vigilant and committed to truth to avoid falling victim to scams involving impersonation.
He recounted a case where an individual allegedly posed as him in an attempt to defraud unsuspecting victims, noting that such incidents highlight the growing sophistication of fraudulent activities.
A political disagreement has emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State following Governor Abdullahi Sule’s reported endorsement of Senator Aliyu Wadada as his preferred successor ahead of the 2027 governorship election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to Nivo News, the move has sparked tension between the governor and his predecessor, Umar Tanko Al-Makura, who faulted the decision, describing it as premature and not properly consulted within party structures.
Al-Makura, a prominent figure in the state’s political landscape, expressed displeasure that he only became aware of the endorsement through media reports. He argued that the decision should have involved wider consultation, warning that such early endorsements could undermine internal party processes.
He further noted that the APC had not begun its formal nomination process, insisting that declaring support for a candidate at this stage was inappropriate and ahead of schedule.
The controversy was further heightened by former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammad Adamu, who is also aspiring for the APC governorship ticket. He rejected the endorsement, stating that no individual has the authority to impose a candidate, and reaffirmed his intention to contest in the party primaries.
In response, Governor Sule, through his media aide, defended the endorsement, stating that it was consistent with political traditions in the state. He referenced past succession arrangements, including Al-Makura’s own endorsement of him, arguing that the current process was in line with established practice but being conducted more transparently.
The governor’s camp clarified that Senator Wadada remains a preferred aspirant and not the party’s official candidate.
Senator Wadada, reacting to the development, called for calm among party members, describing the situation as part of normal political competition. He also downplayed tensions with other aspirants, noting that the contest should be seen as a democratic process.
Meanwhile, support for Adamu continues to grow in parts of Nasarawa South, where youths, women, and stakeholders have openly backed his ambition, alongside broader endorsements for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Adamu, however, maintained that he remains firmly in the race, accusing some political actors of inconsistency in the unfolding succession dynamics.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has described as unnecessary the denial issued by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) regarding an invitation allegedly extended to him for the groundbreaking ceremony of an ecumenical chapel at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to Nivo News, the Sultan’s media team maintained that an official invitation was duly sent to His Eminence requesting his attendance as Royal Father of the Day. The statement explained that the event also listed key dignitaries, including the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, as Distinguished Guest of Honour, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu as Mother of the Day.
The Sultan’s office emphasised that his participation in the proposed Christian event would promote interfaith harmony, noting his role as Co-Chairman of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC). It added that globally, religious leaders often engage in events outside their faith traditions as part of efforts to encourage unity and peaceful coexistence.
The response follows an earlier clarification from CAN, which denied issuing any invitation to the Sultan and stated that the document circulating in public was not from the association. CAN further explained that the communication in question originated from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and insisted that it had no involvement in inviting the Sultan to the event.
While acknowledging that the SGF’s office was linked to the invitation process, the Sultan’s media team expressed concern over CAN’s denial, describing it as unnecessary and capable of creating misunderstanding, especially since the Sultan did not request to attend the ceremony.
The statement also urged religious bodies to focus on messages that strengthen unity and promote peaceful coexistence among Nigerians of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
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