NCMN Demand Urgent Action as Banditry, Terrorism Claim Hundreds of Lives in 2026

In a strongly worded press statement delivered on June 15, 2026, Mallam Jabir Ibrahim Yaro, National Chairman of the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria (NCMN), painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s escalating security challenges. Addressing journalists at a world press conference themed “The Security Situation Across the 19 Northern States and Nigeria as a Whole: A Call for Immediate Action,” Yaro warned that the nation is enduring one of its most perilous periods in recent history.

“Gentlemen of the Press, today the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria addresses the nation with a deep sense of concern, patriotism, and urgency regarding the deteriorating security situation across the nineteen Northern States and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole,” Yaro declared. He highlighted relentless attacks involving banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, communal conflicts, cattle rustling, and other violent crimes plaguing all geopolitical zones - from the North-West to the South-East.

The statement comes amid a surge in violence documented by various monitors in the first half of 2026. From January to June, communities in states like Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Plateau, Borno, Yobe, and Oyo have suffered devastating assaults. Hundreds of civilians have been killed, many more injured, and thousands displaced, exacerbating humanitarian challenges and threatening food security.

The North-West Banditry Epidemic

Yaro’s address placed particular emphasis on the North-West, where bandit groups - estimated by some analysts to number around 30,000 fighters operating in loosely organized networks - continue to terrorize rural areas. These criminals attack villages, abduct schoolchildren and travelers, impose illegal levies, rustle livestock, and disrupt farming and trade. Farmers’ inability to access farmlands has worsened poverty and food insecurity across the region.

Recent reports underscore the scale of the crisis. In early 2026, SBM Intelligence noted a sharp escalation, with armed groups expanding into new territories and targeting civilians, traditional rulers, and government institutions. One attack in Niger State’s Borgu Local Government Area killed over 40 villagers, signaling a turning point in the contest for control of forested belts around Kainji Lake National Park.

Kidnappings have surged dramatically. Data from SBM Violence Tracker indicated a near fourfold increase in Kano State alone in a single quarter. Coordinated assaults, such as the August 2025 abduction of 50 people in Zamfara (with patterns continuing into 2026), highlight the profit-driven nature of these operations. Bandits, often riding motorcycles and hiding in forests, blend criminality with emerging ties to jihadist factions.

The Soufan Center has described banditry as the principal security challenge in the northwest, with hybrid threats blurring lines between organized crime and ideology. Violence in the first half of 2025 already exceeded full-year 2024 figures in some metrics, a trend observers say has persisted.

Resurgence of Jihadist Threats

Yaro also expressed alarm over the resurgence of Boko Haram, its splinter Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and emerging groups like Lakurawa in the North-West and North-Central regions. These threats undermine military efforts and inflict hardship on civilians.

In the North-East, Boko Haram (JAS) has shown renewed operational capacity, with attacks on military and civilian targets. A particularly brutal incident in February 2026 saw militants massacre at least 170 civilians in Kwara State’s Nuku and Woro towns, with reports of victims tied up, throats slit, and properties burned. Analysts linked it to the Sadiku faction, which has expanded from the northeast into northwest areas like Kainji Lake.

ISWAP and Boko Haram continue to clash with each other while targeting Nigerian forces. Attacks on military bases, use of IEDs, and ambushes persist. In April 2026, insurgents overran positions in Borno, killing senior officers. Overall, the insurgency has claimed tens of thousands of lives over the years, displacing millions.

Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2026 noted continued killings, kidnappings, and raids in the Northwest, alongside Boko Haram resurgence in Borno, underscoring authorities’ struggles with protection and accountability.

Heavy Toll on Security Forces

The NCMN statement paid tribute to fallen security personnel, listing notable losses including Brigadier General Musa Uba, Major General Abubakar Rabe (Rtd.), Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah, Lieutenant Colonel S.I. Iliyasu, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Farouq, Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, and Lieutenant Colonel Umar Ibrahim Mairiga.

These names reflect a broader pattern. In 2026 alone, multiple senior officers have died in action. Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed in an April assault on a base in Benisheikh, Borno State. Other incidents involved camp commanders and soldiers lost to IEDs and ambushes.

On June 15, 2026, elite bomb disposal officers Superintendent Abdulrazak Musa Hassan, Inspector Murtala Musa, and Inspector Auwal Ahmad perished in a Zamfara IED ambush while clearing explosives planted by bandits. Their sacrifice highlights the daily dangers faced by personnel.

Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd.), former Army Chief, recently warned after the killing of a senior officer in Katsina that even high-profile figures could become targets if ransom payments continue, calling for a decisive military crackdown.

Ministerial Comments Spark Debate

Yaro directly addressed recent remarks by top defence officials. He noted comments from Honourable Minister of Defence Christopher Musa linking worsening insecurity partly to global conflicts, including the Iran-Israel war, which have disrupted military equipment procurement. Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle suggested that only God can ultimately solve the challenges.

Musa, speaking at a conference in mid-June 2026, stated: “With the war in Ukraine, Russia, Iran, the U.S. and Israel, it’s been extremely difficult getting equipment... The only solution is for us to produce what we need.” He also highlighted the lack of a comprehensive national database hampering police efforts.

Matawalle, in interviews, emphasized: “It is only God that can bring an end to this insecurity, alongside our collective prayers and efforts.” He urged unity and accused some of politicizing the issue.

While acknowledging divine guidance, Yaro countered that public officials have constitutional duties that cannot be delegated. “Iran/Israel war should not be an excuse to the defence sector,” he asserted, rejecting any normalization of insecurity.

Broader National Impact

The crisis extends beyond the North. South-West, South-South, and South-East regions face variants of violence, including communal clashes, separatist activities, and oil-related crimes. A weekly snapshot from security trackers in June 2026 reported over 121 fatalities, 31 abductions, and widespread destruction across nine states.

Economic consequences are severe. Disrupted agriculture threatens national food security. Investors shy away, and traders limit movements. The BBC has described overlapping threats: northwest bandit gangs, northeast jihadists, central land clashes, and southeast separatism, overstretching Nigeria’s 400,000-strong army and 370,000 police.

Civil society voices, including Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and CAN leaders, have urged intensified efforts in 2026 to end banditry and kidnapping for sustainable development.

Calls for Comprehensive Response

The NCMN’s message resonates with broader frustrations. Yaro stressed that no nation develops amid fear. “No economy can thrive when farmers cannot cultivate their lands, traders cannot move freely, and investors lack confidence.”

Analysts recommend multi-pronged strategies: bolstering local defence production (as Musa suggested), improving intelligence and databases, addressing root causes like poverty and governance failures, enhancing civil-military cooperation, and tackling corruption within security apparatuses.

Some point to tactical alliances between bandits and jihadists as a dangerous evolution requiring coordinated regional and international support. Others call for community resilience programs, deradicalization, and economic interventions in affected areas.

As Nigeria grapples with these intertwined crises, the NCMN’s press conference serves as a clarion call. Mallam Jabir Ibrahim Yaro and his movement demand immediate, decisive action from leaders at all levels. With hundreds dead in the first half of 2026 and threats evolving, the coming months will test the government’s resolve.

Public discourse, amplified on social media and in traditional outlets, reflects impatience. Many echo Yaro’s refusal to normalize insecurity, insisting that while prayers matter, tangible results from equipped, motivated security forces and accountable governance are essential.

The road ahead remains fraught, but voices like the Northern Comrades Movement underscore a fundamental truth: Nigeria’s security is not solely a military or divine matter - it is a collective national imperative demanding urgent, unified, and effective intervention.