Nigeria kidnappers kill 35 hostages even after ransom paid

Kidnappers in Nigeria have killed at least 35 people they abducted from a village in northern Zamfara state despite ransoms being paid for their release, a local official told the BBC.

In recent years, criminal gangs in the region, known in the country as bandits, have taken to kidnapping people as a means to raise money.

In this incident, 56 people were taken from Banga village, Kauran Namoda local government area in March. The gunmen then demanded a ransom of one million naira ($655; £485) per captive, media in Nigeria report.

Local government chairman Manniru Haidara Kaura said that most of those killed were young people who "were slaughtered like rams".

"What happened was that the bandits demanded ransom money, and after some back-and-forth, they were given what they asked for. They then released 18 people, including 17 women and one young boy, on Saturday," Haidara added.

"Only they [the gunmen] know why they killed them. They are senseless and heartless people. They forget that they are killing their own brothers, and we will all meet before Allah."

Residents said three pregnant women who were among the hostages gave birth while in captivity, but all the new-borns died due to lack of care.

Survivors recounted being forced to witness the brutal killing of fellow hostages before being allowed to leave the forest.

Sixteen of those released on Saturday are in hospital receiving treatment, while the bodies of the 38 killed by the bandits are unlikely to be returned as in these cases corpses are rarely released.

In a statement, the Zamfara government condemned the killings calling them "barbaric and cowardly" and declared that such atrocities added to its resolve to wipe out terrorism from the state.

"To the grieving families, we share your sorrow and pray for strength and healing. To the good people of Zamfara, remain united and vigilant. Report suspicious activities, and together, we will defeat evil."

The government has said that the killers would be brought to justice.

In an attempt to curb the spiralling and lucrative kidnapping industry, a law was enacted in 2022 making it a crime to make ransom payments. It carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, however no-one has ever been arrested on those charges.

It also made abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die.

But families often feel forced to pay to save their loved ones, citing the government's inability to ensure their safety.

By Chris Ewokor & Mansur Abubakar, BBC

Troops kill at least 95 'bandits' in northwest Nigeria

Armed gangs known as "bandits" have taken root across Nigeria's rural hinterlands amid poverty and government neglect. They raid, loot and burn villages, exact taxes, and conduct kidnappings for ransom.

On Tuesday, Nigerian air and ground troops "foiled an attempted bandit attack, launching air strikes and shootouts" in the northwestern state of Niger, according to the report, which was produced by a private conflict monitor.

It added that "at least 95 bandits" were killed in the clash, which occurred near the villages of Warari and Ragada in the Rijau local government area.

The Nigerian military put out a statement about the clash Wednesday, saying that forces "engaged terrorists in a firefight, neutralizing several."

One soldier was killed, it said.

Tuesday's attack follows a slew of battles where the Nigerian military -- which has in the past has been quick to publicise and sometimes exaggerate its gains -- has kept relatively mum on apparent victories where scores of bandits were killed.

An intelligence source told AFP the military was changing tack after realising publicising their gains was keeping jihadists and bandits abreast of their operations.

The army declined to comment.

Conflict spreading

Nigeria's myriad bandit gangs maintain camps in a huge forest straddling Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states, in unrest that evolved from clashes between herders and farmers over land and resources into a broader conflict across the sparsely governed countryside.

Since 2011, as arms trafficking increased and the wider Sahel fell into turmoil, organised armed gangs formed, with cattle rustling and kidnapping becoming huge moneymakers in the largely impoverished northwest.

Groups also levy taxes on farmers and artisanal miners.

Violence has spread in recent years from its heartland in the northwest -- where analysts say some gains have been made by the military recently -- into north-central Nigeria, where observers say the situation is getting worse.

Increasing cooperation between the criminal gangs, who are primarily motivated by financial gains, and jihadists -- who are waging a separate, 16-year-old-armed insurrection in the northeast -- has seen attacks worsen.

Despite recent gains in the northwest, the military remains overstretched. While improved cooperation between the army and air force has aided the fight, analysts say, airstrikes have also killed hundreds of civilians.

Between 2018 and 2023, there were more deaths from bandits than there were from jihadist groups, according to figures from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a US-based monitor.

Last week motorcycle-riding bandits rounded up a group of farmers working their fields outside Jangebe village in Zamfara state, killing nine and kidnapping around 15 others, local residents told AFP.

Earlier this month, Nigerian soldiers killed at least 150 bandits in an ambush in northwestern Kebbi state, a local official said.

AFP

Security forces kill 30 gunmen after armed attacks in northwest Nigeria

Nigerian security forces have killed at least 30 gunmen after armed attacks in the country’s troubled northwest, authorities said Thursday.

The joint police and military operation occurred Wednesday after hundreds of armed men attacked several villages, State Commissioner for Home Affairs Nasir Mua’zu said in a statement.

Mua’zu said three police officers and two soldiers died during the counter-attack which was launched against the gunmen who attacked the villages Tuesday evening.

“We are working tirelessly with federal security agencies to ensure the safety of all citizens,” he said.

In recent months, the northwestern and north-central regions of Nigeria have recorded an uptick in attacks by armed gangs on communities in these regions. Hundreds have been killed and injured in the attacks.

Bandit groups are known for mass killings and kidnappings for ransom in the country’s conflict-battered north. Most of the groups are made up of former herders in conflict with settled communities.

Dozens of armed groups take advantage of the limited security presence in Nigeria’s mineral-rich northwestern region, carrying out attacks on villages and along major roads. Kidnappings for ransom have become a lucrative way for bandit groups to fund other crimes and control villages.

Aside from the conflict in the country’s north-central and northwest, Nigeria is battling to contain an insurgency in the northeast where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the U.N.

By, Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP

Video - Nigeria tackles methamphetamine crisis

Nigerian drug enforcement agency officers report that Nigeria, once merely a transit point for methamphetamine, is now a producer, thanks to secret laboratories left behind by South American cartels. The agents state that the meth being produced in Nigeria is among the most sought after worldwide. Authorities are intensifying their efforts to crack down on meth traffickers and users.

CGTN

Unmasking the silent rise of ritual killings in Nigeria

Nigeria is grappling with an alarming surge in ritual killings—a trend that has left many citizens in shock and fearful of what seems like an unrelenting menace. The country has witnessed a rise in these heinous crimes, with young people, particularly young girls, becoming frequent victims, Ruth Tene Natsa writes.

These ritual killings have spread across all regions of the country, sparing no one. From the South-West to the South-East and even the capital city located in Nigeria’s North-Central region, no area appears immune.

Just a few weeks ago, social media users were shocked by the arrest of a well-known herbalist from Enugu State, suspected of being involved in ritual killings. Eyewitnesses claimed that several bodies were discovered buried in a secret soakaway in his house. He was eventually apprehended while attempting to cross the border into the Republic of Benin.

Similarly, a recent incident in Gwarinpa, an Abuja suburb, sparked national outrage when a young woman was found tied, gagged, sexually assaulted, and murdered in a hotel. In response, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command launched a manhunt for those responsible.

This came shortly after a disturbing case in January 2025, where a man was apprehended during a church service in Orozo for carrying the decapitated head of his alleged girlfriend in a polybag. Despite the gruesome evidence, there are growing fears that Timileyin Ajayi’s case may eventually fade into obscurity like many others.

These appalling acts have raised serious concerns about the safety and security of Nigerians, particularly women and children.

Many experts attribute the rise in ritual killings to a toxic pursuit of wealth, power, and perceived protection. Some individuals believe that human sacrifice can guarantee good fortune or success, leading them to commit unspeakable atrocities.

According to President Muhammadu Buhari, the increasing cases of ritual killings and deadly attacks against innocent Nigerians are matters of urgent national concern requiring immediate intervention.

The consequences of these killings are devastating, inflicting deep emotional trauma on victims’ families and fostering a culture of fear and distrust. Nigerians are now more cautious, often suspicious of those around them, especially strangers.

In Abuja, some residents attribute the surge in such crimes to the indifferent “mind your business” attitude among neighbours. Others blame the excellent road networks, which, while a sign of progress, unfortunately make it easier for criminals to flee the scene of their crimes.

Beyond ritual killings, Nigeria is also witnessing a rise in “One Chance” criminal gangs. These gangs pose as commercial vehicle operators, only to rob and sometimes kill unsuspecting passengers. One such victim, Madam Bolanle, recounted being held captive for over four hours, during which she was driven around the city and coerced into handing over large sums of money.

Experts warn that the relentless pursuit of wealth and social validation is fuelling these crimes. Reports have implicated a diverse range of individuals, including medical professionals and politicians. The growing “get-rich-quick” culture, especially among the youth, has contributed to a dangerous trend that now threatens the moral foundation of Nigerian society.

To address this crisis, security agencies must be strengthened, properly equipped, and held accountable in tracking and dismantling criminal networks. Community-level efforts are equally crucial, building trust between local populations and law enforcement and establishing early warning systems to prevent crimes before they occur.

Some stakeholders have proposed stringent penalties, including the death sentence without the option of imprisonment, for anyone found guilty of ritual killings.

The Nigerian government has been repeatedly urged to take immediate and decisive action. According to media executive Sunday Oyinloye, “The federal government and other tiers of government, as well as relevant stakeholders, must urgently confront the alarming rise in the ritual killing of girls for money-making purposes.”

In a rare move, the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has also weighed in on the matter, instructing Imams across the state to preach against ritual killings during Friday sermons.

Ultimately, combating ritual killings requires a united front involving government institutions, security agencies, religious and traditional leaders, and the general public.

Nigeria must return to its moral compass, where hard work and integrity are recognised as the true paths to success. Parents must instil in their children a strong work ethic, while religious leaders must teach values that promote honesty and diligence, not materialism.

Only through collective action can Nigeria build a safer, more secure society. The government must prioritise the safety of its citizens and take bold, sustained measures to reverse this deadly trend.

In conclusion, the rise in ritual killings in Nigeria demands urgent attention and concrete action. By confronting the root causes, strengthening law enforcement, and reviving core societal values, Nigeria can begin to restore hope and safety for all its citizens.

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Business Day

President Tinubu orders crackdown on gangs after 150 killed in conflict-hit north

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday directed security agencies to hunt down the perpetrators of a weekend attack that killed at least 150 people in the country's northcentral, as he faces growing pressure over a worsening security crisis.

Tinubu visited Benue state, the site of the recent deadly attacks, seeking to calm tensions and promise justice for the victims. “We will restore peace, rebuild, and bring the perpetrators to justice. You are not alone.” the Nigerian leader said on X.

Assailants stormed Benue state’s Yelewata community from Friday night till Saturday morning, opening fire on villagers who were asleep and setting their homes ablaze, survivors and the local farmers union said. Many of those killed were sheltering in a local market after fleeing violence in other parts of the state.

Authorities in Benue state blamed herdsmen for the attack, a type of violence frequently seen in northern Nigeria's decadeslong pastoral conflict.

Opposition leaders and critics have accused Tinubu of a delayed response to the killings, noting his office issued a statement over 24 hours after the attack. His visit to the state occurred five days later.

The Nigerian leader traveled to Makurdi, Benue State’s capital, where he visited a hospital to see those injured in the attack and met with local leaders to discuss how to end the killings. He did not visit the Yelewata community.

He also appeared to reprimand the police for not making any arrest yet more than four days after the killings.

“How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Tinubu asked as he addressed senior police officers during a gathering in Benue.

Analysts blame Nigeria's worsening security crisis on a lack of political will to go after criminals and ensure justice for victims.

“In the end, the result is the same: No justice, no accountability, and no closure for the victims and their communities," said Senator Iroegbu, a security analyst based in Nigeria's capital Abuja. “Until this changes, impunity will remain the norm, and such tragedies will continue to occur.”

By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP

Related story: Video - Persistent clashes in Central Nigeria over land and resources

Video - Persistent clashes in Central Nigeria over land and resources

Residents of Yelewata in Benue State, Central Nigeria, are struggling to recover from a devastating overnight attack this weekend. Such attacks are frequent in the region, driven by ongoing conflicts between farmers and nomadic herders over competition for land and resources.

CGTN

Related stories: Death toll from an attack by gunmen in north-central Nigeria reaches 150

Video - At least 45 killed by gunmen in Nigeria’s Benue state

Video - At least 50 dead as violence erupts in Nigeria’s Taraba state

Death toll from an attack by gunmen in north-central Nigeria reaches 150

The death toll from an attack by gunmen over the weekend in north-central Nigeria has climbed to 150, survivors said Monday as the villagers were still digging through burned homes, counting their dead and looking for dozens of people still missing.

Assailants stormed Benue state’s Yelewata community late on Friday night, opening fire on villagers who were asleep and setting their homes ablaze, survivors and the local farmers union said. Many of those killed were sheltering in a local market after fleeing violence in other parts of the state.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the killings, but such attacks are common in Nigeria’s northern region where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The prolonged conflict has become deadlier in recent years, with authorities and analysts warning that more herdsmen are taking up arms.


The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence.

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, whose government has fallen short of expectations in ending the country’s deadly security crises, described the Benue attack as “senseless bloodletting” while his office said he would visit the stricken community on Wednesday.

Titus Tsegba, who lost his wife and four of his children in the attack, said more than 20 bodies were recovered on Monday. The initial death toll was reported to be 100 on Saturday.

His wife and children — the youngest 8 and the oldest 27 — were “burned into ashes beyond recognition,” he told The Associated Press, adding that he survived because he was sleeping in another part of the community.

“Everything is gone,” he said.

Benue Deputy Gov. Sam Ode said he suspected the perpetrators were herdsmen. Ode and the survivors spoke to the AP by phone.

The gunmen made it difficult for many to flee after surrounding the Yelewata community, which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the state capital of Makurdi, said Jacob Psokaa, who lost his 55-year-old father in the attack.

“They were coming from different sides at the same moment … it was sporadic shooting,” Psokaa said. “The situation is very bad now with many people in the ground … your people leaving you suddenly.”

The gunmen also burned food stores in the local market, razing a year’s harvest that included rice and yam, staple food mainly exported from Benue to other parts of Nigeria.

“Enough is enough!” said Tinubu, the president. “I have directed the security agencies to act decisively, arrest perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict, and prosecute them.”

By Chinedu Asadu, AP

Related story: Video - At least 45 killed by gunmen in Nigeria’s Benue state

Video - At least 45 killed by gunmen in Nigeria’s Benue state

The spokesperson for Benue state's governor's said armed bandits attacked Yelwata town early on Saturday, killing 45 people. A police spokesperson confirmed the attack, saying they had engaged suspects in a gun battle. The attacks are the latest violence to hit Benue, a state facing land disputes.

CGTN

Related story: Police break up Nigeria protest as anger mounts over killings in southern state

Police break up Nigeria protest as anger mounts over killings in southern state

Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the central city of Makurdi on Sunday, as anger mounted over the killing of dozens of people by gunmen in a nearby town.

Gunmen attacked the village of Yelewata on Friday night in a region that has seen a surge in violence amid clashes between Muslim Fulani herders and mostly Christian farmers competing for land and resources.

Police fired tear gas to break up a protest by thousands of people, witnesses said, as demonstrators called on the state’s governor to act swiftly to halt the cycle of violence.

“The protesters were given specific time by the security to make their peaceful protest and disperse,” Tersoo Kula, spokesperson for Benue state’s governor, told AFP.

John Shiaondo, a local journalist, said he was covering the “peaceful protest” when the police moved in and started firing tear gas.

“Many people ran away for fear of injuries, and I also left the scene for my safety,” he told AFP.
Joseph Hir, who took part in the protest, said people were protesting the killings in Benue when the police intervened.

“We are not abusing anyone, we are also not tampering with anybody’s property, we are discharging our rights to peacefully protest the unabated killings of our people, and now the police are shooting tear gas at us,” he told AFP.

Benue state governor Hyacinth Alia told a news conference late Sunday that the death toll had reached 59 in Yelewata, though residents said the toll could exceed 100.

“We will move very quickly to set up a five-man panel... to enable us find out who the culprits are, to know who the sponsors are and to identify the victims and to see how justice will be applied,” Alia said.
Amnesty International put the death toll at more than 100.

The rights group called the attack “horrifying,” saying it “shows the security measures (the) government claims to be implementing in the state are not working.”

Pope Leo XIV also condemned the killings, in comments during his Sunday prayer in Rome, calling it a “terrible massacre” in which mostly displaced civilians were murdered with “extreme cruelty.”
He said “rural Christian communities” in Benue were victims of incessant violence.

Authorities typically blame such attacks on Fulani herders but the latter say they are targets of violence and land seizures too.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said in a statement Sunday night he had “directed the security agencies to act decisively and arrest perpetrators of these evil acts on all sides of the conflict and prosecute them.

“Political and community leaders in Benue State must act responsibly and avoid inflammatory utterances that could further increase tensions and killings,” he said.

Governor Alia said earlier that “tactical teams had begun arriving from the federal government and security reinforcements are being deployed in vulnerable areas.”

“The state’s joint operational units are also being reinforced, and the government will not let up its efforts to defend the lives and property of all residents,” he said.

Attacks in the region, part of what is known as the central belt of Nigeria, are often motivated by religious or ethnic differences.

Two weeks ago, gunmen killed 25 people in two attacks in Benue state.

More than 150 people were killed in massacres across Plateau and Benue states in April.

AFP

Militant attack on 2 villages in northeast Nigeria kills at least 57, witnesses say

A suspected militant attack on two villages in Nigeria left at least 57 people dead and at least 70 missing on Thursday, witnesses said Sunday, in one of the deadliest incidents in the country’s conflict-ridden northeast this year.

Abdulrahman Ibrahim survived Thursday’s attack on two villages in Baga in Borno State and participated in the burial of the dead. He told The Associated Press that the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction of the militant group Boko Haram gathered more than 100 residents of the neighboring villages of Mallam Karamti and Kwatandashi and marched them into the bush. Later on Saturday, 57 bodies were recovered there.

A spokesperson for the Borno government said he could not confirm the casualty counts. The Nigerian military did not respond to a request for comment.

According to Ibrahim, who is from Mallam Karamti, and another survivor from Kwatandashi who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, the villagers were accused of acting as informants for the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Although ISWAP has gained notoriety for targeting military personnel and assets, the JAS faction has increasingly resorted to attacking civilians and perceived collaborators and thrives on robberies and abductions for ransom.

“Without the capacity to attack the military like ISWAP, JAS is focused on terrorizing civilians,” said Malik Samuel, an expert on northern Nigeria’s conflicts with nonprofit Good Governance Africa.

The witnesses said burial of the victims was delayed because the military was unavailable to provide support in conducting searches for bodies. Most of the dead victims were found with their throats slit, but others had been shot, the locals said.

“There are probably more bodies because we had to stop further searches with soldiers out of fear of an ambush,” Ibrahim said. More than 70 are still missing, he said.

The mass killing came during a week of intensifying violence in Borno. On Monday, ISWAP militants overran the 50 Task Force Battalion of the Nigerian Army stationed in Marte, seizing arms and ammunition after a deadly assault that killed several soldiers, according to videos shared on social media by soldiers who survived the attack.

Following the attack on Marte, displaced people camped there fled to nearby Dikwa, a humanitarian hub where aid groups are pulling out due to international funding cuts.

In a separate incident on Saturday afternoon, a roadside bomb detonated along the Maiduguri-Damboa road, the second such attack in a week. Three people died at the scene, and a fourth succumbed to injuries Sunday morning at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). More than 10 others were still being treated for injuries at the hospital, a local resident, Lawan Bukar Maigana, who has assisted the community in emergencies, said.

Since 2009, the Boko Haram insurgency has created a humanitarian disaster in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad, with more than 35,000 people killed and 2.6 million others displaced over the last 15 years. Borno in Nigeria, its birthplace, is the worst-affected.

They want to install an Islamic state across the four countries, with Nigeria as their main target. The country is West Africa’s oil giant with more than 200 million people, divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north.

The Nigerian government has claimed progress against the insurgency, but the militants continue to attack civilians and military and have expanded into other regions, including central Nigeria where the capital Abuja is located, according to experts and public records on counterterrorism.

By Taiwo Adebayo, AP

At least 23 killed in attacks by gunmen in central Nigeria

Gunmen killed 23 people in four separate attacks in central Nigeria's Benue state, a Red Cross official said Sunday, the latest flare-up of unrest in the region.

The attacks happened Saturday night in four villages.

Clashes between nomadic cattle herders and farmers over land use are common in central Nigeria.

"Reports from the field have confirmed the killings of at least 23 people from different attacks," Red Cross secretary in Benue state Anthony Abah told AFP.

Eight people were killed in Ukum, nine in nearby Logo, three each in Guma and Kwande, he said, citing data from the organisation's field disaster officers. Several others were wounded, he added.

A police spokeswoman said she was unaware of the attacks.

Cephas Kangeh, a retired general manager with a state electricity company who recently relocated to his home village near one of the affected areas told AFP he had heard of three killings, including a couple ambushed while riding a motorcycle which "was taken away by the herdsmen".

Chinese operators are mining gold in the area, he said.

"The attacks did not take place near the mining sites," said Kangeh.

"However, one is puzzled as to why indigenous people are always attacked, maimed... yet there has never been a single case of attack on the Chinese miners who are operating in these areas."

Some of the latest attacks were staged in areas previously targeted by attacks slightly over a month ago, which left at least 56 dead.

With many herders belonging to the Muslim Fulani ethnic group, and many farmers Christian, the attacks in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt often take on a religious or ethnic dimension.

Two attacks by unidentified gunmen earlier in April in neighbouring Plateau state left more than 100 people dead.

Across the wider Middle Belt, including in Benue, land used by farmers and herders is coming under stress from climate change and human expansion, sparking deadly competition for increasingly limited space.

France 24

Nigeria Nabs Trafficking, Robbery Syndicate Leaders

Authorities in Nigeria have arrested two internationally wanted fugitives—a convicted human trafficking ringleader sought by Belgium and a suspected leader of a Dubai-based armed robbery syndicate.

Felix Omoregie, and Okwudili Ezeje were captured in separate operations, according to a statement from the Nigeria Police Force announced Wednesday.

Omoregie had been on the run since 2021, when a Belgian court convicted him in absentia on multiple counts of aggravated human trafficking and leading a criminal organization. After the conviction, he fled to Nigeria. On December 19, 2023, Belgian authorities issued an Interpol Red Notice describing him as the "mastermind of a large-scale human trafficking operation." He was arrested in Benin City and is expected to appear before the Federal High Court there.

Omoregie is accused of trafficking Nigerian women and minors to Italy, where victims were allegedly sold across Europe for sexual exploitation. Authorities said his network used "voodoo-based oaths" to coerce victims and trap them in fabricated debts ranging from 20,000 euros to 50,000 euros ($22,720 to $56,794).

In a separate operation, Nigeria’s Interpol National Central Bureau arrested Ezeje, at his hiding place in Enugu, in south-central Nigeria. Authorities said he was allegedly running criminal operations remotely from within the country.

Ezeje is wanted by the United Arab Emirates for charges including armed robbery, cult-related activities, drug trafficking, and other organized crimes. He has been directly linked to a series of high-profile robberies in Dubai and Sharjah, including an armed robbery at a grocery store in Dubai Mall and several thefts at currency exchanges. Police said his trial is scheduled to “take place shortly.”

By Mariam Shenawy, OCCRP

Video - Nigerian President Tinubu concerned by escalating violence in country

Rising incidents of violence in Nigeria’s north-east and north-central regions has caught the attention of President Bola Tinubu. On Wednesday, the head of state summoned the country's security chiefs and ordered them to immediately arrest the situation. Dozens of people were killed in militant attacks in Nigeria in April.

CGTN

Attack leaves at least 40 people dead in Nigeria

Nigeria's president said on Monday that at least 40 people were killed when Muslim gunmen, believed to be herders, attacked a Christian farming community in the north-central part of the country, the latest in an increasing wave of violence in the West African country.

President Bola Tinubu also said he has ordered an investigation over the late Sunday night attack on the Zike community, extending his condolences to the victims and their families.

"I have instructed security agencies to thoroughly investigate this crisis and identify those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts," Tinubu said in a statement late Monday.

Amnesty International said the victims, who included children and the elderly, were taken by surprise and could not flee from the gunmen.

Such attacks have become common in this part of Africa's most populous country, where gunmen — typically herders from Fulani, a Muslim tribe — exploit security lapses to launch deadly raids on farmers in a fight over land resources.

According to Andy Yakubu, a local resident, gunmen in Sunday night's attack also destroyed and looted homes in the Zike community, located in the Bassa area of Plateau state.

Yakubu said he saw bodies after the attack and that the number of dead could exceed 50. No one has been arrested so far, he added.

The Fulani have been accused of carrying out mass killings across the northwest and central regions, where the decades-long conflict over access to land and water has further worsened the divisions between farmers and herders, Christians and Muslims.

Amnesty says that between December 2023 and February 2024, 1,336 people were killed in Plateau state — an indication that the measures taken by Tinubu's administration to curb the violence are not working.

Samuel Jugo, spokesperson of the Irigwe Development Association, an ethnic organization in the Bassa area, said in a statement on Monday that at least 75 people of the Irigwe, a Christian ethnic group, have been killed since December 2024.

Jugo said that despite deployment of additional security forces to the area, violence still occurs and described the latest assault as "very provocative, vexing and undeserving."

In May 2024, armed men attacked remote villages in Plateau, killing at least 40 people during a late-night raid.

The violence over land resources in north-central Nigeria is separate from the battles with Boko Haram, Nigeria's homegrown jihadis who took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. That conflict, now Africa's longest struggle with militancy, has also spilled into Nigeria's northern neighbors.

AP

Video - Boko Haram attacks on military formations concern Nigerian authorities

Boko Haram launched a wave of attacks on military bases in Nigeria's Borno State. Governor Babagana Zulum responded with a call for aggressive military action, warning the group may be regrouping and retaking territory. Officials said the renewed violence could derail efforts to resettle displaced residents.

CGTN

How Nigeria can stop rising 'jungle justice'

A stolen phone, a whispered accusation, and slowly, a crowd gathers. In minutes, the charges are read out to the suspect and "justice" is administered — not in a courtroom, but on the street.

Mob justice, often called "jungle justice" in Nigeria, is the act of a crowd taking the law into their own hands by punishing suspected criminals without giving them the right to defend themselves via judicial procedures.

Over the past decade, such violence in Nigeria has surged, fueled by distrust in law enforcement, economic hardship, and the rapid spread of misinformation.

"It's [mob justice] been a long time with us," said Frank Tietie, a Nigerian legal expert and Executive Director of Citizens for Social Economic Rights in Abuja.

"Where law enforcement agents are seen to be restricted only to capital cities or the various states or in the nation's capital, people tend to have a sense that the government is far away and they can do whatever they like," he said.

A case of mistaken identity

Recently, 16 hunters traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano were lynched in Edo State on mere suspicion of being bandits and kidnappers.

According to local reports, the victims were traveling back to their home in Kano after attending Muslim Eid al-Adha celebrations when local vigilantes stopped the vehicle they were in.

Upon searching, the vigilante members found homemade Dane guns used by the hunters. The discovery quickly attracted a crowd who concluded the travelers were criminals and burned them alive.

Their gruesome deaths have reignited debates on lawlessness, justice, and the failure of policing in Africa's most populous nation.

President Bola Tinubu and human rights groups condemned the incident, and Tinubu vowed to pursue those who perpetrated the act and bring them to justice.

Nigeria's constitution stipulates that under no circumstances should the life of any Nigerian be taken except in accordance with the provisions of the law, with the pronouncement of the judgment of a court.

Common scenarios that lead to vigilantism

Apart from petty theft, such as pickpocketing, stealing mobile phones, bicycles, or motorcycles, suspicions of witchcraft or child theft can lead to mob justice.

However, cases of false accusations, mainly driven by personal vendettas, such as business competition, have also been documented by Amnesty International.

As Nigeria is a deeply religious country with dozens of ethnic communities, tensions can easily trigger mob actions, particularly during periods of unrest or crisis.

"There are instances even in police stations the case will reach there, and you find people round the police station, they want to get the culprit out and set him ablaze," Ben Shemang, DW correspondent in Abuja, said.

Over the past decade, Amnesty International has documented at least 555 victims of mob violence in Nigeria.


How Nigeria can curb 'jungle justice'

To reverse the trend and end the vice, experts say the Nigerian government needs to intervene by increasing public awareness campaigns against mob violence.

There is also an urgent need for police reforms and human rights training.

"We should put more pressure on the national assembly to decentralize the police system," Frank Tietie said, adding that the federal-controlled police have become incompetent and corrupt.

"The hope is that when we have a decentralized police system, where various states and local governments can organize proper police for us, then we may have less issues of jungle justice and extra judicial killings as we had in Edo State," he said.

Additionally, there needs to be increased advocacy for justice reforms and promotion of peaceful conflict resolution, and most importantly, local communities and security agencies must emphasize collaboration to build mutual trust and responsiveness.

Josephine Mahachi, DW

Nigeria battles growing money laundering menace

Nigeria's reputation as one of Africa's economic powerhouses is blighted somewhat by a surge in international and inter-state financial crimes, marked by high rates of money laundering, cybercrimes, currency counterfeiting and other financial infractions.

This paradox of economic growth – the World Bank projects Nigeria's economy to expand by 3.5% in 2025 despite global uncertainties – and a widening spectrum of financial fraud has triggered a surveillance overdrive across the West African nation over the past few months.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria's primary financial fraud watchdog, has already arraigned a suspect arrested in March at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, the country's economic hub.

According to court filings, the flyer allegedly failed to declare US $578,000 in cash, resulting in four charges, including money laundering and counterfeiting.

Shuaibu Idris Miqati, who heads the Lagos-based financial intelligence advisory firm Time-Line Consult Ltd, sees the trend as reflecting the inherent disadvantages of an almost open and interconnected global economic system.

"International air travellers being routinely intercepted with undeclared cash while leaving or arriving in Nigeria suggests that loopholes remain, although prevalence was higher in previous years," Miqati tells TRT Afrika.

"There are signs of exacerbating corruption and a crime network whose reach now extends beyond Nigerian shores."

Systemic factors

Nigeria's customs regulations prohibit cash carry-on exceeding $10,000, which means anyone wanting to breach the limit has to employ one or more of multiple illegal options.

Arrests, particularly at airports, frequently involve travellers attempting to move money from illegal activities such as human trafficking, drug smuggling and illegal mining.

Money laundering typically refers to the offence of concealing the origins of ill-gotten money, often through complex banking transfers or commercial transactions. These methods are not only illegal but also damaging to the economy.

"Transactions outside the purview of the banking system undermine the economy. When a significant portion of financial dealings goes unreported, economic indicators like GDP become skewed, affecting taxation, planning and economic policies," explains Miqati.

Laundering also enables kleptocracy or political looting and fuels organised crime, including racketeering, human and drug trafficking, cybercrime, tax evasion and terrorism.

Central Bank of Nigeria, the country's apex bank, has launched a campaign against currency smuggling while promoting financial inclusion.

Inflation hedging

So, why do individuals and even business entities risk smuggling hard currencies despite sophisticated airport surveillance systems?

Miqati points to Nigeria's prevailing inflationary crises, including erosion of household and business incomes, as a driving factor.

"There is an increasing tendency to 'invest' in foreign currencies, which some people see as a stable defence against domestic inflationary pressures," he tells TRT Afrika.

Money mules, who physically transport illicit money across borders, often employ both official and unofficial means to evade airport security.

At Lagos airport, EFCC personnel zeroed in on the suspect arrested last month when he declared only half of the $578,000 cash he was carrying from Johannesburg in South Africa. A search of his belongings revealed an equal amount in US dollars concealed in multiple packets.

Enhanced surveillance

In March, Nigerian border security and financial intelligence reported a breakthrough in the crackdown on money laundering when a traveller was intercepted with $1.154 million and 135,900 Saudi riyals in undeclared cash at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, the busiest in northern Nigeria. The undeclared cash was hidden inside packs of imported date palm.

The case has since been handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and legal proceedings.According to Nigerian financial law, the offender's conviction would likely lead to the forfeiture of the entire quantum of undeclared cash to the federal government.

Experts like Miqati believe Nigeria's financial system could face more daunting challenges from money laundering and other economic crimes as criminal networks get smarter and find newer ways to dodge surveillance.

By Mazhun Idris, TRT Global

Corruption watchdog in Nigeria recovers nearly $500 million in one year

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced a major anti-corruption milestone, recovering nearly $500 million in misappropriated funds last year.

The recovery effort is part of the agency’s anti-corruption campaign under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to the agency, more than 4,000 criminal convictions were secured last year, its highest record since the EFCC was established over two decades ago.

Some of the recovered money was reinvested in government projects. Besides recovering cash, the EFCC said it also seized 931,052 metric tons of petroleum products, 975 real estate properties, and company shares.

The $500 million recovered last year is on par with the amount lost to corruption in 2022. Additionally, cybercrime suspects accounted for the majority of the 3,455 convictions recorded during this period.

Like many other countries, corruption has been a thorn in Nigeria’s side for years, holding back development in Africa’s most populous country and fourth-largest economy.

Despite efforts to tackle it, the country still ranks 140 out of 180 on Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

In Africa, South Sudan takes the title of the most corrupt nation, scoring 8 and ranking 180th globally. Right behind it is Somalia at 179th with a score of 9, while Libya isn’t far off at 173rd with 13 points.

These countries continue to struggle with weak institutions, poor governance, and corruption that affects almost every aspect of life.

By Adekunle Agbetiloye, Business Insider Africa

Thieves Are Hitting Nigeria's Gas Lines. But Not to Steal Gas

Gangs of thieves are tapping the pipelines that feed Africa’s biggest liquefied natural gas plant, collecting condensate — a hydrocarbon more desirable locally than crude — in a dangerous pursuit that’s sent Nigeria’s LNG exports plummeting.

Criminal groups have for decades targeted the oil pipelines that criss-cross the country’s Niger Delta region, but a government crackdown on crude theft has driven them to gas conduits where they seek an ultra-light form of oil that’s easy to process at makeshift refineries.

The surge in activity has crippled gas supply to Nigeria LNG Ltd., a joint venture owned by Nigeria, TotalEnergies SE, Shell Plc and Eni SpA.

“It is a very high risk, very dangerous operation, that’s not always successful. But when it’s successful, they make a lot of money,” said Effiong Okon, managing director of ANOH gas plant, a Seplat Energy Plc subsidiary that operates a $700 million gas project in the area. Decades ago, he was part of an engineering group at Shell that rerouted condensate flows to avoid such theft.

NLNG was held up as a model state-backed enterprise when exports of the super-chilled fuel started in 1999, but its footprint has dwindled. Nigeria accounted for 3.5% of the total global LNG supply last year, steadily decreasing from 6% in 2020, according to BNEF.

At the same time, plans are under way to boost condensate output, which doesn’t count against the oil-production quota Nigeria agreed to as a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Africa’s biggest producer aims to reach a combined output target of 3 million barrels a day — half condensate — Minister of State for Petroleum Heineken Lokpobiri said last month.

The rise of illegal operations adds another obstacle to increasing that production.

Eight-Year Low

NLNG exports tumbled in February, according to commodities tracking company ICIS. That month, the plant only received one-fifth of its gas supply, forcing a shutdown of processing units.

While five of its six production units are back up, a disruption of several months of all NLNG exports would have “a significant impact on the global gas markets,” said Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a researcher at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy.

The vandalism potentially threatens supply for a seventh NLNG unit that’s under construction, along with existing supply contracts and other planned projects to develop the fuel.

“Security issues may put in question future investments in the gas industry in Nigeria, especially if Nigeria wants to expand its LNG exports,” said Corbeau, citing a glut of projects planned globally and additional LNG exports from the US backed by President Donald Trump.

Crude-theft Crackdown

For decades, crude theft has sparked conflict, exacerbated environmental devastation caused by oil companies, stoked corruption and robbed the country of billions of dollars in revenue a year.

In 2022, as Nigeria struggled to meet its OPEC quota, the head of the national oil company estimated that it could be producing as much as 700,000 barrels a day more if not for criminals stealing crude and oil companies holding back for fear of theft.

Since coming into office in May 2023, President Bola Tinubu has increased security at the oil pipelines, sparking a rebound in output — a boost of more than 40% from three years ago — that exceeded Nigeria’s OPEC production pledge in January.

Some of the security measures have been war-like: using drones and fighter jets to drop bombs on illegal refining sites that dot the delta, while on the ground, private security firms managed by former militants — who used to blow up the pipelines and hold workers for ransom — have ensured better protection of the main crude lines.

“Improved security at the oil pipelines is pushing criminals in other directions,” said Salahuddeen Tahir, head of assets and investments management at NNPC Gas & Power Investment, a unit of the national oil company.

While in the past gangs tapped oil pipelines with tools and hacksaws, today’s gas thieves shows signs of more sophisticated engineering skills — in line with the more dangerous nature of the work.

“These pipelines operate at high pressure, and any rupture poses a significant risk of explosion or uncontrolled fire,” said Claudio Steuer, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and former general manager at Shell Nigeria.

Condensate can sell for as much as Nigeria’s expensive crude grades like Forcados and Bonny Light and is easily refined or fed straight into generators. The fuel is sold on the streets of most southern cities like Port Harcourt and Aba.

Olu Verheijen, Tinubu’s aide on energy, said the government is dealing with the attacks, but declined to give details. NLNG is working with government agencies “to strengthen the security of upstream production and transmission assets,” it said in a statement.

Criminals are willing to face significant danger even though they’re usually accessing small volumes of condensate, said Okon, of Anoh Gas Plant.

Gangs install valves that slow down the pressure on the lines before cutting through pipes to leak out gas so they can collect the condensate at the bottom.

“High risk, high reward,” he said.

By Nduka Orjinmo, Bloomberg