TIMELINE: Condemn, appeal, threaten — chronicling Buhari’s responses to major bandit attacks

In recent years, bandit attacks have become rampant, with gunmen often unleashing terror on several states across the country. Given the alarming frequency of attacks and kidnappings, it’s increasingly becoming challenging to keep an accurate number of victims.

Almost every other week, marauding bands of terrorists raid schools and ensnarl students in captivity, freeing them only after exorbitant ransom fees must have been paid. The bandits descend into defenceless communities and perpetuate orgies of violence that send millions of people displaced from their homes. They waylay travellers and commit several atrocities on the people as they signpost their dangerous impact on roads across the country.

These atrocities have, expectedly, drawn reactions from President Muhammadu Buhari. Over the past few years, the president has serially condemned, threatened and appealed to the bandits after major attacks. On several occasions, he has promised to put an end to the killings while urging the public to trust the security agencies — but the insecurity in the country continues to fester with the number of casualties rising daily.

TheCable chronicles Buhari’s responses to these attacks; his threats, promises, clarion calls — and once upon a time, an appeal.

‘Efforts of security agencies not good enough’

On December 11, 2020, with President Muhammadu Buhari present in Kastina, a gang of bandits invaded the Government Science Secondary School in Kankara LGA of the state. The assailants roved into the school compound on motorcycles, shooting sporadically into the air before abducting 344 students — with the president just 188km away.

Buhari did not speak about the abduction until almost 24 hours later when he issued a statement through Garba Shehu, the presidential spokesperson, condemning the “cowardly bandits’ attack on innocent children”.

The students were released a couple of days later, and while preparing to address the released kids, Buhari expressed worry over the efforts of the security agencies in curbing insecurity.

“Armed forces know their job. I meet them, we have security meetings from time to time, they must be very clear of my instructions, and their effort is not good enough for me,” he had said.

“It is our responsibility to secure this country for all the citizens to do their businesses without any problem. We haven’t achieved that yet, but we will keep on trying.”

‘Jangebe will be the last’

On February 26, 2021, in Jangebe, a town in Talata-Mafara LGA of Zamfara state, 279 students of the Government Girls Secondary School in the area were abducted by bandits.

The girls were freed on March 2 through the help of repentant bandits, according to the state government.

Leading the federal government’s delegation to the state after the girls’ release, Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, said the president promised that the incident would be the last school adoption the nation would witness under his administration.

“This abduction of the female students in Jangebe will be the last as the federal government has reorganised the security architecture of the country to nib all the atrocities of these criminals,” the president was quoted as saying.

‘Determined to secure Nigeria’

On March 12, 2021, gunmen attacked the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Igabi LGA of Kaduna state, and abducted 29 students.

The students were not released until May 5 – seven weeks later – after they were reportedly ransomed, courtesy of a pool of contributions from the victims’ parents.

The president reacted to the news by pledging a “strong determination of his administration to ensure that Nigerians lived in a country where everyone can move where they want when they want without the fear of kidnapping and banditry”.

Buhari appealing to bandits

On April 18, 2021, another group of bandits abducted students from Greenfield University, Kaduna.

The assailants requested N800 million as ransom, and when their demands were not met early enough, they killed five of the students, further threatening to kill more.

On May 5, after the students had spent weeks in the den of their kidnappers, Buhari appealed to the bandits “for the release of the students of the Greenfield University and all other citizens held in captivity”.

‘New methods are yielding good results’

On July 8, thirty-five people were killed when gunmen attacked five communities in Maradun LGA of Zamfara state.

The gunmen were said to have invaded the communities on over 90 motorcycles — and also set houses ablaze.

Buhari, expectedly, condemned the killing and demanded that security agencies “respond to the worrying situation in a language that the bandits understand”.

He then informed Nigerians that “the military and other security agencies are now working on new methods and policies that are yielding good results in many of the troubled parts of the country and calls for a crushing response to the killing of innocent citizens in the rural communities”.

‘Swift justice’ in Plateau

At least 22 people were killed while 14 others sustained injuries when suspected hoodlums attacked buses conveying worshippers to Ondo state on August 14, 2021.

The commuters were on their way from Bauchi, where they had attended an Islamic programme.

Reacting to the incident, Buhari described it as “wicked” while adding that security agents have been ordered to ensure justice is delivered swiftly.

“Make no mistake about it: in line with my commitment to protect all Nigerians, I have ordered our security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of this gruesome massacre of innocent travellers and bring them to justice,” the president was quoted as saying.

‘We need Nigerians’ support to end this evil’

Not less than 23 travellers were killed when gunmen opened fire on a bus at Gidan Bawa village in Isa LGA of Sokoto state on December 8.

Reacting to the incident in a statement signed by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, Buhari called for the support of Nigerians in curbing the menace of the banditry.

“I am very distressed at the manner of death visited on these hapless citizens who were undertaking a legitimate journey to another part of the country,” the president had said.

“It shows that the evil this administration is confronting is one that requires the support and involvement of all Nigerians.”

‘We’ll smoke out the criminals’

From the late evening of January 5 to the early hours of the following day, gunmen invaded about five communities in Bukkuyum and Anka LGAs of Zamfara state, killing over 200 villagers and setting many houses ablaze.

Reacting, Buhari described the incident as an “act of desperation by mass murderers” who are “under relentless pressure” from the military.

The president assured Zamfara residents that the army and the airforce are working together to track and eliminate the perpetrators.

“The latest attacks on innocent people by the bandits is an act of desperation by mass murderers, now under relentless pressure from our military forces who are well equipped to effectively confront these enemies of humanity,” Buhari said.

Clearly, the president has run the gamut of post-attack responses: from threatening and later pleading with terrorists, to giving marching orders to security agencies, and seeking the support of Nigerians. He has done it all — but to date, little has changed.