Intelligence agencies from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, all members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), are reportedly preparing to release the names of senior Nigerian politicians accused of supporting banditry in the country’s North-West.
Regional security analysts claim that officials from these countries have gathered substantial evidence linking certain Nigerian political figures to notorious bandit leaders operating across states like Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger.
The allegations suggest these politicians provided financial backing under the guise of “peace deals,” diverted development funds to arm the bandit groups, and even facilitated safe havens and logistics across the porous Nigeria–Niger border.
AES intelligence officers have reportedly intercepted critical communications and tracked the flow of money and weapons, with some suppliers operating from Nigerien territory.
Nigeria’s North-West has suffered nearly a decade of devastating violence, including mass kidnappings, village raids, cattle rustling, and extortion, which have worsened food insecurity and displaced countless residents.
While the Nigerian government has launched military operations and peace accords to address the crisis, critics argue that many of these measures inadvertently strengthened the bandits instead of resolving the conflict.
The AES, formed in 2023 following Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso’s withdrawal from ECOWAS, has deepened its intelligence-sharing and security collaboration.
Officials claim to have arrested intermediaries linked to Nigerian bandits, raising the stakes for possible cross-border tensions. If the implicated politicians are named publicly, the fallout could lead to political turmoil in Nigeria, intensify public outrage, and strain diplomatic relations between Abuja and AES member states.
These revelations have reignited debates over long-standing suspicions of political sponsorship of insecurity. With Nigeria’s 2027 elections on the horizon, opposition parties may leverage the allegations to challenge the ruling elites.
Analysts warn that beyond the political implications, the disclosures underscore the transnational nature of arms trafficking and banditry, which are increasingly tied to extremist groups and worsening humanitarian crises across West Africa.
For millions of Nigerians grappling with violence and displacement, there is growing hope that exposing these networks will lead to meaningful action against the forces enabling banditry to thrive.