(DDM) – Northern rights activist Mahdi Shehu has accused armed bandits of establishing “parallel governments” across parts of northern Nigeria, alleging that they now hold victory parades and impose laws on terrified residents.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that Shehu raised the alarm in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, describing the situation as a complete breakdown of state authority.
He said the incident occurred in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, where heavily armed bandits, dressed in full military fatigues, reportedly converged for what they called a “peace deal” with a local community they had earlier overrun.
According to Shehu, the gathering resembled a victory celebration rather than a peace negotiation, symbolizing the growing dominance of criminal groups across the region.
He lamented that for more than a decade, bandits have killed, raped, maimed, and displaced hundreds of thousands of villagers across northern Nigeria while government intervention remains largely ineffective.
“Shehu stated that the bandits now operate with total impunity, collecting levies, deciding market days, and granting residents permission to access their farms.”
He further claimed that most affected communities in states such as Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, and Kaduna have become “occupied territories” where bandit leaders function as governors, wielding more control than the state authorities themselves.
“The bandits have effectively carved out their own state within a state, where their rules override those of the government,” Shehu warned, adding that villagers often pay taxes and tributes to these gangs to avoid attacks.
The activist’s revelation has sparked intense public reaction online, with Nigerians expressing anger and fear over the deepening insecurity and the government’s perceived failure to assert control.
Security analysts who spoke to DDM described the claim as “a grim but realistic reflection” of northern Nigeria’s deteriorating security architecture.
They noted that despite military offensives and repeated government assurances, bandit networks continue to expand, exploiting weak governance, corruption, and porous borders to sustain their operations.
Many commentators also drew parallels between Shehu’s statement and previous warnings from local leaders, including the Emir of Birnin Gwari and members of the House of Representatives, who have repeatedly said that large portions of the North West are under bandit occupation.
The revelation comes amid renewed military deployments in Katsina, Zamfara, and Niger States, following fresh waves of attacks and mass kidnappings that have displaced hundreds of families in recent weeks.
Observers say Shehu’s statement underscores the growing perception that Nigeria’s rural north has slipped beyond government control, with criminal gangs now dictating daily life in several communities.
Human rights groups are urging the Federal Government and security agencies to treat the development as a national emergency, stressing that failure to reclaim the affected territories could entrench an enduring state of lawlessness.
As of press time, neither the Katsina State Government nor the Nigerian military has officially responded to Shehu’s viral claims, but the outrage continues to spread across social media and civic platforms nationwide.
