Fresh attacks expose deepening crisis as northern security trust fund comes under scrutiny

Barely 24 hours after northern governors and traditional rulers agreed to activate a regional Security Trust Fund and renewed calls for state police, fresh attacks across Plateau, Kaduna, Borno and Benue states have exposed the scale of insecurity confronting the region, raising fresh concerns over whether increased funding alone can stem the violence.

An investigation by BusinessDay shows that despite sustained military offensives that have degraded criminal groups in parts of Zamfara, Katsina and Borno states, armed gangs continue to exploit intelligence gaps, attack farming communities, target vulnerable civilians and destroy public infrastructure. The pattern suggests that while security forces are winning tactical battles, criminal networks retain the capacity to launch coordinated attacks across multiple fronts.

The renewed violence came almost simultaneously with resolutions reached in Kaduna, where northern governors and traditional rulers endorsed the operationalisation of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund. Chaired by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, the meeting reaffirmed participating states’ commitment to contribute N1 billion monthly to strengthen regional security while also backing the establishment of state police.

However, findings indicate that criminal groups continue to adapt their operations faster than security responses, shifting attacks to isolated communities and agricultural settlements where government presence remains limited.

Within hours of the Kaduna meeting, gunmen attacked Torok community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing Ezekiel Zakka, David Yakubu and Dauda Habila.

Solomon Mwantiri, president of Berom Youth Moulders-Association, through a statement signed by Rwang Tengwong, the association’s publicity secretary, described the killings as evidence that communities remain exposed despite repeated assurances by security agencies. The association demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

The Plateau attack mirrors a broader trend observed across several northern states, where communities continue to suffer deadly raids despite intensified military deployments.

In neighbouring Kaduna State, armed bandits reportedly invaded farmlands in Kuppa, shooting a farm worker in the head before abducting him. Residents said the victim climbed a tree in an attempt to escape but was discovered by the attackers, who allegedly forced him to record a warning directing other farmers to abandon cultivation in the area.

The attack sparked a prolonged gun battle after vigilantes from nearby Soba mobilised to confront the assailants. One vigilante was killed, another injured and several bandits were reportedly neutralised.

Security analysts told BusinessDay that the growing attacks on farmers suggest an emerging strategy aimed at disrupting agricultural production and worsening food insecurity across the region. The issue featured prominently during the Kaduna meeting, where governors resolved to prioritise the protection of farming communities throughout the planting season.

A similar pattern has emerged in Benue State, where attacks on farming communities and highways have continued despite repeated security interventions.

BusinessDay investigations show that at least 22 people have been killed in attacks linked to suspected herdsmen, bandits and gunmen across five local government areas between June and July.

On July 1, suspected herdsmen invaded Sai Community in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, killing about 10 farmers, leaving many others missing and injuring at least 20 residents.

Days later, gunmen attacked Anyiase Community in Kwande Local Government Area while residents were working on their farms, killing six people, injuring several others and displacing thousands.

The violence also spread beyond rural communities.

David Salifu, a former Secretary to the Benue State Government and university lecturer, died after sustaining gunshot wounds during an attack by suspected kidnappers along the Wukari-Makurdi Road.

Similarly, Gabriel Nyityo, a professor of History at Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, and his younger brother, Iorngee Nyityo, were murdered by suspected assassins at Adaka Community in Makurdi Local Government Area.

Elsewhere in the state, two suspected cattle rustlers were killed in Okpokwu Local Government Area after allegedly attacking a cattle owner, while Ardo Risku Mohammed, a Fulani community leader, and Yakubu Isah were also killed in Otukpo axis, highlighting the diverse nature of security threats confronting Benue.

Security experts say the Benue attacks reinforce concerns that criminal violence is no longer confined to traditional banditry hotspots but is spreading across farming belts critical to Nigeria’s food production.

In the North-East, sustained military operations have continued to record successes, yet insurgents remain capable of launching disruptive attacks.

Troops recently detected and destroyed an improvised explosive device planted along the Cross Kauwa-Kekeno-Monguno road in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, preventing what security officials described as a major attack on civilians and security personnel.

However, Boko Haram fighters later attacked Logomani community in Ngala Local Government Area, burning a police outpost, a primary healthcare centre and two classrooms after engaging troops in fierce gun battles.

Bana Kaza, a resident, said residents fled as insurgents set public facilities ablaze.

Military sources confirmed that troops eventually repelled the attackers, killing six terrorists, including senior ISWAP commander Munzir Baa Alai, while several others escaped with injuries.

The incident reflects the evolving tactics of insurgent groups, which increasingly rely on quick strikes against vulnerable communities despite suffering heavy battlefield losses.

In Katsina State, security forces achieved another tactical success after troops ambushed terrorists in Bakori Local Government Area.

Abayomi Adisa, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations for 17 Brigade, said intelligence reports revealed that fighters loyal to Idi Abasu Aiki planned to block the Kakumi-Guga Road and attack commuters.

According to him, troops intercepted the group, killing eight suspected terrorists and recovering two AK-47 rifles and five motorcycles.

A similar offensive in Zamfara State reportedly resulted in the elimination of more than 100 bandits during coordinated operations around Gummi Local Government Area, with troops also recovering dozens of motorcycles used by the criminal gangs.

While these operations demonstrate increasing military pressure on armed groups, security experts argue that battlefield victories alone cannot guarantee lasting peace.

They note that intelligence coordination, community policing, rural development, judicial reforms and stronger border surveillance remain essential if military gains are to translate into sustainable security.

Northern governors appeared to acknowledge these realities during their Kaduna meeting by identifying poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and the rising number of out-of-school children as factors driving recruitment into criminal networks.

They pledged greater investment in education, agriculture, youth empowerment and skills development while renewing support for state police as a long-term solution.

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has expanded state support for security operations through the procurement of 62 operational vehicles and other security equipment valued at N27.127 billion.

During the inauguration, Christopher Musa directed troops to engage terrorists and bandits immediately during operations without waiting for additional orders, arguing that hesitation allows criminal groups to regroup and inflict greater damage.

Even so, investigations suggest that the effectiveness of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund will depend less on the volume of resources committed than on how transparently those resources are managed and how effectively they strengthen intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination and rapid response capabilities.

For many residents across northern Nigeria, the true measure of success will not be the number of meetings held or security vehicles commissioned, but whether farmers can safely cultivate their land, children can attend school without fear, highways become safe for travellers and displaced communities can finally return home.

Until those conditions are achieved, the region’s new security fund will remain an ambitious promise facing its first and perhaps toughest test.