In the early hours of Wednesday, bandits kidnapped Mallam Bello Janbako, a senior lecturer in the Department of Islamic Studies at the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State. Mallam Janbako, who is also the Director of the Centre for Research at FUGUS, was abducted from his residence in Damba, Gusau, around 1:30 am.
In a separate incident, bandits in Katsina State killed nine people and set five houses on fire in Kukar Babangida village, Jibia Local Government Area, on Thursday morning.
These incidents add to the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, with concerns about terrorism, banditry, and attacks by armed groups, particularly in the northern regions.
The situation is exacerbated by recent Christmas Eve attacks in 15 Plateau State communities, where over 150 people were killed, and about 221 houses were razed, leaving more than 10,000 residents displaced.
A resident reported that the bandits confronted and overpowered security agents before kidnapping the Zamfara lecturer. This comes just months after 24 students from the same university were abducted by bandits in September, with 11 of them still in captivity.
The abduction of Mallam Bello Janbako follows the kidnapping of the Director of Finance in the Zamfara State Ministry of Finance, Mallam Sabiu, along with his wife and two children, in Damba Housing Estate, Gusau, on Tuesday.
The escalating security challenges have prompted calls for collaborative efforts among North-West state governors to tackle banditry collectively. Former Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Alhaji Inuwa Mustapha, urged governors to work together, putting pressure on the Federal Government for assistance in addressing banditry and other crimes in the region.
The Nigerian government faces ongoing challenges in maintaining security and protecting lives and property, necessitating coordinated efforts at various levels to address the root causes and mitigate the impact of these security threats.
