Politics
Fayemi on alliance of evil between Boko Haram and kidnapping gangs
THE reaffirmation by the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, of the nexus between terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and the general breakdown of law and order across the country should guide the authorities in stamping out insecurity. Fayemi, who doubles as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, told journalists in Abuja of the “direct correlation” between terrorists and the bloody nationwide crime wave and how the proceeds of kidnapping and banditry fuel insurgency. Thus, armed with sufficient insight into the terrorist adaptability and the Salafist ideology that drives it, the government and security agencies should devise an effective strategy to crush criminality.
In recent years, the number of kidnapping-for-ransom incidents has spiked across the country. The Switzerland-based Centre for Security Studies says Islamist terrorist groups in particular use extorted ransom funds to finance a significant share of their expenses. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is alleged to have collected a total of $89 million in such revenues between 2003 and 2012. Terrorist groups use the ransom funds to recruit new members, to fund the maintenance of training camps, for the procurement of weapons and communications tools, and for organising and executing terrorist attacks.
It is difficult to defeat an enemy you do not understand; the government has for too long demonstrated ignorance of the dynamics of Islamist terrorism since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009. Officials also live in denial of the existential danger terrorism in all its iterations poses to the country. They worsen this by unpardonable politicking, allowing primordial considerations to override the imperative of national security. The weakness of internal security has allowed terrorists to mingle with herders to further their jihadist cause, birth offshoots and spread beyond their North-East roots.
In the first half of 2013, the CSS claimed that half of the global kidnapping cases were carried out in just four countries: Nigeria (26 per cent), Mexico (10 per cent), Pakistan (nine per cent), Yemen (seven per cent). According to the Australian government, globally, ransom is paid in 64 per cent of kidnapping cases. But a strict no-ransom policy with the threat of military intervention adopted by many Western countries became a disincentive for terrorists, but made jihadists turn their focus internally.
Fayemi’s insight, spoken after emerging from a meeting with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), along with recent pronouncements by other senior government figures, offer some hope that finally, the reality has sunk in and the government will respond accordingly with effective and comprehensive strategies against criminality in the country. As he rightly said, the correlation between terrorism in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and kidnapping in the South-West means that “some of the people involved in these are also the ones responsible for insurgency. We must treat them as a comprehensive issue and then tackle them collectively.”
Corroborating Fayemi’s take, Nasir el-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, declared, “Kidnapping operations by bandits are substantially funding Boko Haram activities in the North-East.” Intelligence reports also establish that new terror groups, armed with proceeds of kidnapping and robbery and sophisticated weapons, exposed to the toxic ideology of Boko Haram and emboldened by state weakness, have established cells in the North-West and North-Central and collaborating with criminals operating in the South-West. Collectively, this is referred to as “gangster jihadism.”
Nigeria has suffered dearly for the dithering of the federal and state governments. Experience around the world had shown how terrorists align with criminal networks, drug traffickers and money launderers. Warnings of such growing links between Nigeria’s bandits, Fulani herders and terrorists have been coming for years from local and reputable international sources but ignored by officials. A 2017 report by the International Crisis Group, citing Western intelligence sources, reported “a troubling increasingly close collaboration between Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and bandits operating in the North-West.” Now, hiding behind unregulated open grazing, this alliance of evil sees the whole country as its operational theatre.
There is no evidence that Nigeria’s security agencies acted on this report, which the ICG said had been shared with them by the US Military’s Africa Command. A Brookings Institution report refers to bandits and killer herders as “thinly disguised terrorists.”
While the Nigerian government was incorrectly labelling Fulani attacks on communities in the North-Central as merely “herders-farmers clashes,” the Global Terrorism Index since 2015 ranked the Fulani marauders as the world’s fourth deadliest terrorist group. The Independent of London credited it with killing 847 persons across five Northern states in 2014 among the total 7,512 deaths in the country arising from terrorism that year. Denial, politics, corruption and sheer incompetence have combined to allow criminality to metastasize and push the country dangerously to the edge of state failure. Alarmed, a former military head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, estimates that the “six million illegal arms” circulating in the country fuel unprecedented insecurity.
The moment of truth has arrived rather late, but decisive action can still save the union. For starters, criminality should be recognised as such. The government and security agencies should discard political, ethnic and religious considerations and resolutely stamp out terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, robbery, rape and murder decisively.
Importantly, security agencies should recognise the nature of Islamic terrorism: it may start as a local tumour, but it is global movement based on the Salafist ideology of perpetual jihad; with violence and disruption of existing order as weapons. It knows no national boundaries and its operatives are ingeniously adaptable. A Rand Corporation report found that apart from capitalising on the absence of the state in ungoverned areas, jihadists invariably link up with criminal gangs, smugglers, drug traffickers and underworld networks in shifting alliances. The inevitable alliance between Boko Haram/ISWAP, bandits, kidnappers and AK-47-wielding Fulani militants compels strong law enforcement and stronger political will. A single terror cell, unchecked, can trigger a national crime wave or eventual state failure.
Federal security agencies should stop being part of the irrational offer of amnesty to bandits by some state governors. Jihadists and their collaborators cannot be appeased.
Since reports have established the influx of fighters, arms and ammunition from North, West and Central Africa as well as thousands of displaced herders, the government should tighten border controls and move security and administrative personnel into the ungoverned territories to deprive terrorists and bandits the room to operate.
Instead of threats and hints, the government should uncover the sponsors and financiers of terrorism and banditry; their funding, arms and logistics networks should be disrupted. According to the Financial Action Task Force, “disrupting terrorism-related financial flows and transactions is one of the effective ways to fight terrorism. Not only can it prevent future attacks by disrupting their material support, the footprints of their purchases, withdrawals and other financial transactions can provide valuable information for ongoing investigations.”
This alliance of evil must be broken and destroyed. Unfortunately, in tackling insecurity, the Buhari regime places primordial sentiments over facts as now espoused by Fayemi. This is the reality Nigerians should face at the sub-national level. Governors should therefore be held responsible for the security of lives and property of their people. Without sentiment or partisanship, they should use anti-open grazing legislation to decongest forests and highways of herder jihadists. Open grazing of cattle provides a cover for bandits, terrorists and cross-border criminals to flourish. Local communities, too, have the right to protect themselves lawfully from violence. The governors should initiate community-based or self-protection strategies and support community-led protection efforts.
The 36 state governors should move from their belated acknowledgement of the failure of the existing single policing format, establish security agencies and mobilise for its immediate constitutional redress as a national emergency. Ultimately, the war on terror and banditry will be won by a strong political will to implement root-and-branch reform of Nigeria’s tottering structure.
PUNCH
A former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and investigate the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his reported pledge of N10 million to each of Rivers State’s 319 councillors for delivering their respective wards to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Sara-Igbe described the alleged pledge as a threat to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process, insisting that Wike’s position as a serving minister should not shield him from investigation.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, reportedly made the promise during a media chat last week, urging the councillors to ensure that President Tinubu wins their respective wards in the 2027 elections in exchange for N10 million each.
With 319 councillors representing the state’s 319 wards across 23 local government areas, the proposed financial commitment would amount to N3.19 billion if fully implemented.
Speaking in an interview with The Southern Examiner, Sara-Igbe questioned why the FCT Minister had not been invited for questioning by security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the reported statement.
He argued that the alleged pledge raised serious concerns about compliance with electoral laws, particularly provisions relating to financial inducements and electoral malpractice.
“We are not in a banana republic where anything goes, no laws. Our security personnel must prove to Nigerians and the entire world that our laws are not implemented haphazardly, depending on who is involved,” he said.
The Kalabari elder also criticised INEC for what he described as its silence over the matter, insisting that electoral regulations must apply equally to all Nigerians, regardless of their political influence or official positions.
Sara-Igbe, who acknowledged that Wike was once his close associate, said Nigeria’s democracy could only develop when citizens rejected injustice, unfairness and inequality.
He warned that political statements capable of encouraging financial inducements could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“Utterances such as the one Wike spewed out from his mouth could truncate our hard-won democracy and expose our nation to public ridicule. This is why the matter should not be swept under the carpet. Wike must be made to pay for such an unguarded statement,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sara-Igbe denied allegations that he was involved in instigating the renewed political disagreement between Wike and Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
He also dismissed claims that his position was motivated by ethnic considerations, maintaining that his disagreement with Wike was based on political principles and what he described as the need to protect Rivers State’s interests.
He accused Wike and his supporters of attempting to undermine Fubara’s administration, arguing that the governor should be allowed to exercise his constitutional mandate without undue political interference.
Sara-Igbe further disclosed that his political position informed his decision to support the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and the party’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, ahead of the 2027 elections.
He described Lulu-Briggs as a candidate with the capacity to pursue economic development in the state, highlighting proposals to decongest Port Harcourt, develop other urban centres such as Ahoada, Omoku and Bori, and harness Rivers State’s tourism potential.
He also criticised the Rainbow Coalition over what he described as the introduction of ethnic considerations into the search for an APC governorship candidate in Rivers State.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 28, 2026, for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise is aimed at testing upgrades to the commission’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic results transmission ahead of the polls.
The development comes as INEC disclosed that it had commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to some states in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the planned mock exercise on Thursday during a dialogue at Chatham House in London.
The event, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative, was themed, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
According to a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said the exercise would simulate the presidential election and enable the commission to assess the efficiency of its accreditation and electronic results transmission systems.
“On the 28th of this month, we will conduct a mock accreditation and voting exercise across all states of the federation to simulate the presidential election and verify that we have gotten both accreditation and electronic result transmission right,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan also disclosed that the commission had introduced additional technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal.
He said the measures were part of efforts to strengthen the credibility, transparency and reliability of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Chief Emeka Okafor Esq, has called on Voters of Igbo Extraction living in Ondo State to come out in their numbers and vote massively for APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 16th of January 2026.
Chief Emeka Okafor made the call in Akure during the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Rally which took place in Akure, Ondo state.
The Deputy National Organising Secretary stated that South East and Ndi Igbo have benefitted massively from the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and All Progressives Congress. He opined that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu meant well for the Country and the President’s reform is yielding the necessary results.
Barr Emeka Okafor stated that Ndi Igbo has always been part of National Party. “Being with the Party at Centre has always been beneficial to Ndi Igbo and 2027 will not be an exception. He urged Igbo Voters in Ondo to support APC and Mr President’s re-election bid.
The chieftain also urged stakeholders to support all APC candidates for the National and State Assemblies in the forthcoming elections, saying party members must work hard to deliver the desired results.
Barr Okafor made the appeal as He joined the Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, other APC leaders and stakeholders at the party’s campaign rallies in Akure, the Capital of Ondo state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned political actors against the use of the controversial slogan, “Rig and Die”, ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such inflammatory rhetoric could trigger electoral violence and endanger innocent lives.
The Commission also warned that electoral officials, including ad hoc staff, who compromise the integrity of elections would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, gave the warnings during a media engagement forum for journalists and media executives from the South-East, South-South and South-West geopolitical zones held in Enugu.
Haruna expressed concern over the increasing use of inflammatory political statements and threats, noting that such utterances could put the lives of presiding officers, electoral ad hoc personnel, party agents and election observers at risk.
He urged political parties and their supporters to embrace peaceful participation, stressing that grievances arising from election outcomes should be addressed through established legal channels, including INEC, security agencies and the courts, rather than through violence.
The National Commissioner also called for stronger collaboration between INEC and the media to promote credible, peaceful and transparent elections in 2027.
He described the media as an indispensable partner in the electoral process, noting that public confidence in elections depended largely on accurate, balanced and professional reporting.
Haruna warned journalists against publishing unverified results, manipulated videos, misleading projections and sensational political narratives capable of misleading the public and undermining confidence in the electoral process.
He specifically cautioned against premature result announcements, insisting that only INEC, through its duly appointed returning officers, had the authority to declare election results.
“Results are declared only by the Commission through its duly appointed returning officers. Projections and unofficial figures must be clearly labelled as such,” he said.
He further advised media organisations to verify allegations against the Commission through appropriate channels before publication and exercise caution when reporting electoral incidents.
Haruna also advocated inclusive election coverage, urging journalists to give adequate attention to women, youths and persons with disabilities, particularly the challenges affecting their participation in the electoral process.
He encouraged media organisations to intensify voter education on Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), accreditation procedures, electronic transmission of results and peaceful participation.
Journalists Urged to Uphold Professional Ethics
In a separate presentation on ethical and professional standards in election reporting, resource person, Mr Osaretin Imahheyierobo, urged journalists to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act 2026, INEC’s election coverage guidelines and the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
He expressed concern that some journalists covering elections were not sufficiently conversant with the legal and regulatory frameworks governing electoral reporting.
Imahheyierobo urged media organisations to establish dedicated election desks, develop editorial guidelines and strengthen fact-checking mechanisms ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also stressed the need for journalists to understand INEC’s technological innovations, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), to ensure accurate reporting of accreditation, voting and result-management processes.
He warned media practitioners against compromising professional ethics for financial inducements, commonly referred to as brown envelopes. He maintained that political candidates should be subjected to objective scrutiny rather than having their claims and manifestoes amplified without proper examination.
The resource person also called for equitable media coverage of all political parties and candidates, noting that voters relied on credible information to make informed electoral decisions.
Earlier, the Enugu State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, disclosed that INEC had received approximately 35,000 Permanent Voter Cards for distribution across the state’s 260 wards.
He appealed to journalists to support public enlightenment campaigns to ensure that eligible voters collected their PVCs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Chukwu described the media as a strategic partner in voter education, public opinion formation and institutional accountability, warning that misinformation could erode public confidence in the electoral process.
While acknowledging the media’s independence and watchdog responsibilities, the REC urged journalists to uphold accuracy, objectivity, fairness and professionalism in their coverage of electoral activities.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission remained committed to conducting credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections in 2027, adding that it was open to constructive criticism and recommendations from media practitioners.
NUJ Raises Concerns Over Election Logistics
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council, Comrade Obinna Ogbuka, commended INEC for organising the engagement but regretted that the initiative had not commenced early enough to accommodate more journalists before the election cycle gathered momentum.
Ogbuka also raised concerns over the apparent lack of adequate budgetary provisions for journalists’ logistics during election assignments, stressing that media practitioners required sufficient support to perform their duties effectively.
He further called on INEC to take deliberate steps to rebuild public confidence in the Commission ahead of the 2027 elections.
Participants at the engagement commended INEC’s preparations but urged the Commission to address weaknesses observed in previous elections, particularly the technical challenges that affected the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 presidential election.
They also called on INEC to recognise journalists as critical stakeholders in the electoral process and involve them more meaningfully in its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended his promise to reward councillors with ₦10 million each for delivering their respective wards ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the offer is a reward for political commitment and not an attempt to buy votes.
Wike made the clarification on Tuesday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, dismissing criticisms of the proposed incentives.
He argued that rewarding political mobilisers for their hard work and electoral performance should not be confused with inducing voters to influence election outcomes.
The minister had reportedly pledged ₦10 million to each councillor who successfully mobilises support and delivers their ward, a promise that sparked concerns over the possibility of vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Responding to the criticism, Wike said he never instructed the councillors to share money among voters in exchange for their votes. Rather, he challenged them to demonstrate commitment and deliver the expected electoral results.
“I didn’t tell them, ‘Take this money and go and buy votes.’ I said, ‘Go and work. Show commitment. Demonstrate that you really mean what you are talking about. When you win, come and we are going to reward you,’” he said.
To justify the offer, Wike compared the proposed political incentive to rewards given to athletes who win international competitions, arguing that such promises motivate people to achieve outstanding results.
He cited instances where athletes are promised houses and other benefits for returning from competitions with trophies, questioning why similar incentives in politics should automatically be considered bribery.
The FCT minister also faulted sections of the media for what he described as their failure to distinguish between legitimate performance-based rewards and vote-buying.
He argued that political parties and candidates routinely spend money on campaign advertisements without attracting similar criticism.
Wike challenged journalists to examine the distinction between financial inducements intended to influence voters and rewards promised to political organisers for meeting mobilisation targets.
Meanwhile, the minister expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, including Interchange Section 2 (ISEX 2), the Southern Parkway and the S1 Road, which incorporates a fire station.
He said the projects were expected to be completed by December 15, ahead of the January 16, 2027 general elections.
Wike further argued that the infrastructure achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration would provide a strong basis for its re-election campaign.
He maintained that his support for Tinubu was driven by the administration’s development agenda rather than party affiliation, insisting that Nigerians who genuinely desire progress should support policies and programmes aimed at national development.
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