Former senator and public affairs commentator Shehu Sani has drawn attention to the local origins of armed groups operating in Nigeria’s northwest, stressing that accurate understanding of these groups is crucial for effective security responses.
Speaking on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Sani highlighted that many violent groups causing destruction in rural communities are products of local social and economic conditions rather than external forces. He noted that persistent poverty, weak security structures, and unresolved local grievances have allowed criminal networks to grow and operate with increasing influence.
“The bandits in the northwest are basically Fulanis. I don’t believe that people will keep on saying that these are people who come from Mali, Burkina Faso,” Sani said. He explained that these groups largely consist of young men who formed armed camps, taking control in forested areas and later expanding their activities to attacking villages, blocking highways, and targeting security formations.
Sani stressed that framing the crisis as the work of outsiders diverts attention from solutions rooted in local engagement. He urged regional leaders to recognize that these armed actors are familiar with the terrain and have long-standing ties to the communities where they operate. Community-based strategies, improved intelligence, and stronger cooperation between security agencies and residents are critical to curbing their influence.
He further noted that while identifying the groups as local does not excuse their actions, understanding their origins is essential to addressing the underlying causes of violence, such as disputes over land use, cattle routes, and community rivalries.
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