₦airaland Forum

For the fact that the bandits foot soldiers are not exposed, strategic or can afford the kind of weapons they have been using to attack people.

They are mostly mercenaries hiring for whoever needs their service. It's those who sponsor them that facilitate the easy movement without any obstruction.

The question is who are the people hiring the bandits mercenaries? Who are the arms and gun runners supplying them guns and ammunition steadily to continue with the destruction?

helinues:
For the fact that the bandits foot soldiers are not exposed, strategic or can afford the kind of weapons they have been using to attack people.

They are mostly mercenaries hiring for whoever needs their service. It's those who sponsor them that facilitate the easy movement without any obstruction.

The question is who are the people hiring the bandits mercenaries? Who are the arms and gun runners supplying them guns and ammunition steadily to continue with the destruction?

Knowing and asking is just pure wickedness.

Amnesty was given to Niger Delta militants.
Tompolo, an ex Niger Delta militant was given contract to protect the pipeline.

The north in alliance with Gumi formed and named their group Bandits. Armed them to cause havock while protecting them.
Now ask for amnesty for the bandits and for them to be given contracts to protect the farm and farmers.

Games.

But the Bandits serves multiple purpose. Religious, political and economic.

Tinubbu bot, you are very confused

What is timubu doing about the funders of these mercenaries

When buhari was soaking dogs and babbon in blood where did he see his own money if not the drug lord funding apc then

Na tinubbu past be him worst nightmare

helinues:
For the fact that the bandits foot soldiers are not exposed, strategic or can afford the kind of weapons they have been using to attack people.

They are mostly mercenaries hiring for whoever needs their service. It's those who sponsor them that facilitate the easy movement without any obstruction.

The question is who are the people hiring the bandits mercenaries? Who are the arms and gun runners supplying them guns and ammunition steadily to continue with the destruction?

I don't know what is wrong with you people, why are you folks making all manner of excuses of the number one enemy of Nigeria aside you fake patriots in this the forum.
Again, why call them bandits when you dll know they are terrorist by design and default....gosh!

kaltonga:
I don't know what is wrong with you people, why are you folks making all manner of excuses of the number one enemy of Nigeria aside you fake patriots in this the forum.
Again, why call them bandits when you dll know they are terrorist by design and default....gosh!

Making excuses? Is it FG that's killing and abducting people? If No who are the people behind it and what do they intend to achieve

You people only know about nagging, wailing without any solution to any issue

thesolutions:
Knowing and asking is just pure wickedness.

Amnesty was given to Niger Delta militants.
Tompolo, an ex Niger Delta militant was given contract to protect the pipeline.

The north in alliance with Gumi formed and named their group Bandits. Armed them to cause havock while protecting them.
Now ask for amnesty for the bandits and for them to be given contracts to protect the farm and farmers.

Games.

But the Bandits serves multiple purpose. Religious, political and economic.

What's the purpose of NEDC that was earlier approved before other regions?

thesolutions:
Knowing and asking is just pure wickedness.

Amnesty was given to Niger Delta militants.
Tompolo, an ex Niger Delta militant was given contract to protect the pipeline.

The north in alliance with Gumi formed and named their group Bandits. Armed them to cause havock while protecting them.
Now ask for amnesty for the bandits and for them to be given contracts to protect the farm and farmers.

Games.

But the Bandits serves multiple purpose. Religious, political and economic.

you spoke

helinues:
What's the purpose of NEDC that was earlier approved before other regions?

I can agree with him on this one if I go by Gumi’s claim,the nddc was there and has nothing to do with tomopolo’s contract so the NECD has nothing to do with his comment.

Lanretoye:
you spoke I can agree with him on this one if I go by Gumi’s claim,the nddc was there and has nothing to do with tomopolo’s contract so the NECD has nothing to do with his comment.

Abi, they have NEDC early, amnesty shouldn't be the excuse again

South South, North East and South East played dirty politics to get the development commission.

South South got the DC early through indirect violence . Pipelines blowing

Chibok gave North East their DC

The Jubril left eyes and nose, sit at home for 2 years in South East was all about SEDC

The

thesolutions:
Knowing and asking is just pure wickedness.

Amnesty was given to Niger Delta militants.
Tompolo, an ex Niger Delta militant was given contract to protect the pipeline.

The north in alliance with Gumi formed and named their group Bandits. Armed them to cause havock while protecting them.
Now ask for amnesty for the bandits and for them to be given contracts to protect the farm and farmers.

Games.

But the Bandits serves multiple purpose. Religious, political and economic.

They are simply criminal terrorists on a land grab mission. Wreaking havoc all over Nigeria.

zeuss:
The

They are simply criminal terrorists on a land grab mission. Wreaking havoc all over Nigeria.

Reason why I don't buy the Christian persecution story in Nigeria. Those terrorists will kill christian and shout Allahu Akbar, same Allahu Akbar they will shout after attacking mosque

It's political, business, land grabbing and power superiority

@ op

Your question cuts to the heart of Nigeria’s security crisis, and it’s a valid one.

The bandits’ access to sophisticated weapons like AK-47s, rocket launchers, and endless ammunition suggests a well-oiled supply chain, often involving mercenaries who are hired for specific operations.

While definitive proof is hard to come by due to the clandestine nature of these networks, credible reports and expert analyses point to several key players behind the funding and arms flow.

I’ll break it down based on recent investigations and data.

Who Hires the Bandit Mercenaries?
Bandits in northern Nigeria (primarily in the northwest and north-central regions) are largely opportunistic criminals from Fulani herder backgrounds, driven by economic motives like ransom, cattle rustling, and illegal gold mining rather than ideology.

They recruit foot soldiers—often desperate locals or foreign mercenaries—from porous borders, paying them in cash or looted goods. The “hirers” or sponsors include:

• Politicians and Local Elites:
Many bandits are allegedly bankrolled by state governors, lawmakers, and influential figures who use them as political tools during elections or to settle scores.

For instance, opposition parties like the PDP have accused the ruling APC of shielding sponsors to avoid exposing high-profile allies.

Security analysts note that politicians provide logistics and protection in exchange for “services” like intimidating rivals or controlling mining sites.

A 2025 report by the Soufan Center highlights how communal grievances and political collusion fuel this, with bandits acting as proxies in areas like Zamfara and Kaduna.

• Illegal Mining Cartels:
Gold and lithium mines in the northwest generate massive illicit revenue, which funds bandit operations.

Groups control these sites and hire mercenaries to protect them from rivals or security forces.

The BBC’s 2025 overview of Nigeria’s security groups confirms that bandit gangs dominate illegal mining, using profits to sustain attacks.

• Jihadist Affiliates (Indirectly):
While most bandits are non-ideological, some collaborate with groups like ISWAP or the Lakurawa network (designated a terrorist group in 2025) for mutual benefit, sharing ransom money or weapons.

These alliances provide occasional sponsorship but are more opportunistic than direct hiring.

The government has the intelligence on many sponsors but often cites “politics” as a barrier to action, as noted in a November 2025 BBC Pidgin interview with security insiders.

Who Supplies the Arms and Ammunition?

Nigeria has over 60,000 illegal small arms in circulation, mostly in the northwest, per Wikipedia’s entry on the bandit conflict (updated 2025). The supply chain exploits weak borders and corruption:

• Cross-Border Smugglers:
Weapons flood in from Libya (post-Gaddafi chaos since 2011) via Niger and Chad, with convoys escorted by corrupt officials.

A Punch Nigeria investigation (October 2025) exposed Nigerien smugglers delivering 450+ rifles and 8,000 rounds to bandits in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Niger states, protected by Nigerian military escorts.

Porous borders (only 1,950 personnel for thousands of kilometers) make this easy.

• Corrupt Security Personnel:
Rogue soldiers and police divert arms from official stockpiles. The Department of State Services (DSS) in 2025 blamed security agencies for proliferation, with cases like arrested officers selling AK-47s to robbers.

Opinion Nigeria (November 2025) calls for prosecuting these insiders to dismantle the chain.

• Local Dealers and Syndicates:
Arms runners like Jacob Adikwu (arrested in Benue, July 2025) supply bandits from hidden factories or stolen military gear.

Women are increasingly involved, smuggling ammo to camps in states like Zamfara and Katsina, per ENACT Africa reports (2023–2025).

International dealers from China, Turkey, and even Serbia contribute via indirect routes, as per Geopolitical Monitor (August 2025).

In short, the enablers are a toxic mix of political protection, economic greed, and institutional rot.

Addressing it requires sealing borders, prosecuting sponsors (starting with elites), and community development to dry up recruitment.

Until then, the cycle continues.

Sources: BBC (2025), Punch Nigeria (2025), Soufan Center (2025), Wikipedia (Nigerian Bandit Conflict, 2025), ENACT Africa (2025).

helinues:
What's the purpose of NEDC that was earlier approved before other regions?

Again, asking this proves that you are aware of what is going on regarding the terrorist bandits.
The government saw what Oil spill caused in the region. The people can no longer farm on the land or fish in the water. These were genuine concerns that both the government and multi national companies saw and created an enquiry that brought the NDDC idea.
What is the agitation of Gumis Bandits that was caused by government. The North will always claim to be the poorest so as to channel all intervention to the north. Buhari specifically instructed foreign aids to be channeled to the north. But no deliberate act to control poverty in the north. They only enhanced it using religion.
Good luck was building Almajiri schools to support them in their chosen educational systems but the same people taunted good luck for being voted out by the same Almajiri.
Everything is deliberate by these monsters.

It is a pity that exposed people like yourself would be this unreasonable. How do we expected the unexposed to act.

thesolutions:
I believe you mean NDDC.
Again, asking this proves that you are aware of what is going on regarding the terrorist bandits.
The government saw what Oil spill caused in the region. The people can no longer farm on the land or fish in the water. These were genuine concerns that both the government and multi national companies saw and created an enquiry that brought the NDDC idea.
What is the agitation of Gumis Bandits that was caused by government. The North will always claim to be the poorest so as to channel all intervention to the north. Buhari specifically instructed foreign aids to be channeled to the north. But no deliberate act to control poverty in the north. They only enhanced it using religion.
Good luck was building Almajiri schools to support them in their chosen educational systems but the same people taunted good luck for being voted out by the same Almajiri.
Everything is deliberate by these monsters.

It is a pity that exposed people like yourself would be this unreasonable. How do we expected the unexposed to act.

North East Development Commission (NEDC)... hahahaha if you don't understand this, then you don't understand what you are arguing about

zeuss:
The

They are simply criminal terrorists on a land grab mission. Wreaking havoc all over Nigeria.

They are not. You know that.
They are acting on instructions. They receive peanuts from the ransom paid by the government or the people.

Do you not read that Gumi is the one delivering ransom to them, some women contributed money about 800k only for Gumi to tell them that that is transport money.

The game plan is to ask for amnesty while also requesting for the terrorist to be given contract to protect the farmers. No plans to disarm or withdraw from this act.

Have you not heard about personnels being court martialed for firing at the terrorist and disobeying unnecessary controlled tactical withdrawal by his superiors who saw that the terrorist are disadvantaged. The air force can not provide air support because of imaginary Forrest. Imagine that.

You guys with your taqqiya of wickedness will continue to raise irrelevant questions of wickedness to divert attention from the real issues.

helinues:
North East Development Commission (NEDC)... hahahaha if you don't understand this, then you don't understand what you are arguing about

Oh you mean that. But was that all you saw in the input?

helinues:
What's the purpose of NEDC that was earlier approved before other regions?

NEDC is not Amnesty.
NEDC is not tantita that receive pay to protect national infrastructure.

Listen to Gumi and you will know where everything is going.

thesolutions:
Oh you mean that. But was that all you saw in the input?

You are talking about compensation, amnesty while ignoring North East have Development Commission responsible for that

I am even yet to see what those Development Commission that some politicians have been using to cause unrest have achieved in whichever region

thesolutions:
NEDC is not Amnesty.
NEDC is not tantita that receive pay to protect national infrastructure.

Listen to Gumi and you will know where everything is going.

It was after NDDC was approved that the pipeline blowing stopped

It was after Chibok , NEDC was approved which made the security in NE to improve until recently

Go and check the timeline of when South East Development Commission was approved and when the sit at home stopped

helinues:
It was after NDDC was approved that the pipeline blowing stopped

It was after Chibok , NEDC was approved which made the security in NE to improve until recently

Go and check the timeline of when South East Development Commission was approved and when the sit at home stopped

So sit at home has stopped. It was not the Nnamdi Kanu that instituted it but south east politicians. So why is Nnamdi Kanu incarcerated.

thesolutions:
So sit at home has stopped. It was not the Nnamdi Kanu that instituted it but south east politicians. So why is Nnamdi Kanu incarcerated.

So for your mind you think president Tinubu get issue with Kanu? Hahahaha, Kanu played some roles about the SEDC approval, him coming out from the prison, he will surely demand for his share, na from there the problem go start.

Kanu's still being incarcerated is an internal issue

helinues:
Go and check the timeline of when South East Development Commission was approved and when the sit at home stopped

Which Sit at home Stopped? The sit at home that will still be observed tomorrow?

Someone that's not in South East will just be making claims he knows nothing about

When the people in the Niger Delta got better knowledge about oil, and understand the fact that they are not reaping largely from the benefits, they resorted to militancy and watom kidnapping of expatriates. The war in Niger delta is more economical, the increasing poverty, undevelopment and oil spillage affecting fishing business erupted the militant struggle.

As the case may be today, the new oil is the rare earth material scattered in the north. Lithium is the new oil. Gold and other mineral resources are deposited under the earth in the north. This attract illegal foreign miners who invest in security of their mining sites and trade route. So employing foreign mercenaries from the troubled Sahel is a pinch of salt. The men are readily available with sophisticated weapons used in fighting wars in Libya, Sudan and other weapons from Arab spring fall out. The weapons are there, so are the fighters. So these mining investors give shared percentage for their job.

But business expands and they have to spread across the land which leads to the crisis we have in our country today.

I'm

thesolutions:
They are not. You know that.
They are acting on instructions. They receive peanuts from the ransom paid by the government or the people.

Do you not read that Gumi is the one delivering ransom to them, some women contributed money about 800k only for Gumi to tell them that that is transport money.

The game plan is to ask for amnesty while also requesting for the terrorist to be given contract to protect the farmers. No plans to disarm or withdraw from this act.

Have you not heard about personnels being court martialed for firing at the terrorist and disobeying unnecessary controlled tactical withdrawal by his superiors who saw that the terrorist are disadvantaged. The air force can not provide air support because of imaginary Forrest. Imagine that.

You guys with your taqqiya of wickedness will continue to raise irrelevant questions of wickedness to divert attention from the real issues.

my point is you can't Grant amnesty to career criminal terrorist. Even their sponsors are also capable and are terrorist on their own

helinues:
For the fact that the bandits foot soldiers are not exposed, strategic or can afford the kind of weapons they have been using to attack people.

They are mostly mercenaries hiring for whoever needs their service. It's those who sponsor them that facilitate the easy movement without any obstruction.

The question is who are the people hiring the bandits mercenaries? Who are the arms and gun runners supplying them guns and ammunition steadily to continue with the destruction?

[color=#006600][/color]

Yet people are against strict security measures on the mercenaries? What religion are the mercenaries practicing?

zeuss:
I'm my point is you can't Grant amnesty to career criminal terrorist. Even their sponsors are also capable and are terrorist on their own

That is why we can not call them mercenaries.
The boys wouldn't know what 100 million or 500 million looks like so how can they demand that amount. No news about them fighting over sharing formula. The boys are owned and the owners are the ones protecting them trying to spin different stories around.
The owners keep mentioning that the boys have their own territories. That makes it clear that the financiers have understanding between themselves not to trespass.
They are all over the news granting interviews. The government knows them.

tinubu will handle economy, shetima will handle security.