Nigerians and the rest of the world were taken aback when a video of thousands of bandits celebrating Sallah in Zamfara State surfaced on social media.

The development, many say, is a slap on Nigeria’s security architecture.

The video, which was disclosed by a counter insurgency analysts and security expert focused on Lake Chad region, Zaga Zula Mahama, on Thursday, April 18, has been generating reactions from Nigerians.

The bandits in their thousands were shown partaking in the Sallah festivities.

Nigerians have paid heavily in various forms, following the activities of the bandits, particularly in the North West and North Central, where they have made life a living hell for the people.

Nigerians in their hundreds of thousands have been kidnapped in the past by the bandits and ransom running into millions paid to secure their release.

Many who could not afford the outrageous ransom which they demand from most often have been brutally killed.

Many others have died out of torture in their hands or as a result of inclement weather in the forests and thick bushes where the bandits had always kept them.

In some states, like Katsina, Zamfara and Niger, some local government areas are comfortably under the control of the bandits, where they levy and collect taxes from the people without fear of any consequences.

Although the military kept assuring Nigerians that they were on top of the situation, the bandits appear unperturbed as they keep dishing pain, sorrow and death on a monthly basis.

The situation had become so disturbing that many people now question the authenticity of the information the military has been feeding Nigerians with, as it affects the counter insurgency war.

Nigerians have been told several times that scores of the bandits have been neutralised at different times in different locations and states including Zamfara, which is regarded as their headquarters. But, with the number seen on the video, many are asking if the information that the military has been feeding Nigerians with is anything to go by.

Some people are also saying that what the bandits wanted to prove with the viral video was simply to show that they have the backing of some powerful individuals in the society.

One of those who are sceptical about the information from the military authorities regarding their onslaught on the bandits is the president of the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus.

He wondered why there are still thousands of the bandits out there despite assurances from the military that they are being dealt with.

Commenting on the viral video, Bitrus said the bandits wanted to showcase their religion.

He told DAILY POST that, “The bandits just want to show that they are Muslims, whether or not we accept is immaterial.

“It also shows that up till now, no matter what we have been told that the military have done with regard to decimating them, there are still a lot of them out there who can cause havoc in this country.”

He accused some people of paying lip service to the unity of the country, because according to him, if they wanted the country to be one as they would want people to believe, they would not be supporting the activities of the bandits.

He stressed that the only way to solve the problem of banditry in Nigeria was to restructure the country so that each state or geo-political region would be able to provide adequate security for her people.

“Sentiments apart, we are people who believe in one Nigeria. But the reality is that there are people who don’t believe in one Nigeria.

“If they do, they will not do what they are doing. We need to do what is necessary and we said we want this country to be restructured and that is the way forward,” he stated.

Also, the coordinator of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima described the bandits’ courage to appear publicly in such a large number as a clear indication that the government of the day has to do more.

“It is also an indication that the bandits have taken the country for granted, otherwise if the government is willing and determined, it couldn’t have said that it didn’t have information about the Sallah programme that bandits attended, or when they were about to hold the programme.

“This is because it was not a programme that the bandits held for one or two hours, it was a programme that took them several hours to execute.

“So, the government must buckle up because the implication is that it is an abuse of the sensibilities of the country as a whole, and it has also gone further to make a mockery of the country’s security forces.

“The government must buckle up and handle the matter once and for all,” he said.

On the number of bandits that have so far been neutralised over time, Yerima insisted that nobody could dispute the information, stressing that why it appears as the information was not true was because the bandits recruit people into their fold on a daily basis.

“They engage and employ people who are jobless by the day. So, the issue of saying that the information is not true should not even arise because the military is really trying, but just that they need to do more.

“Only God knows what would have happened if not for the military’s effort.

“They are trying but they should put more effort and clean the mess once and for all,” he submitted.

For a former member of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Alhaji Shehu Yusuf, banditry had become a big problem in the country, particularly in the North.

He said he aligned with the Kaduna State governor who recently said that everybody was involved in banditry.

“Starting from the community members that provide information to the traditional rulers, the security agents and the government, everybody is involved because looking at the way they operate, they must have the support of some people in the community who give them reliable information that enables them to attack people at random and disappear without a trace.

“I believe that there are people who are supporting them because for the bandits to come inside the town to a prayer ground which is a public place in such a large number, with arms and finish whatever they were doing and left unhindered is unbelievable.

“It is confusing and there must be people supporting them and providing them with useful information,” he told DAILY POST.

Insisting that almost everybody was involved in the menace, he said: “Remember that victims that had the opportunity to speak to the media usually tell us that they know the bandits and where they are hiding, especially in Zamfara State and in all communities that are being attacked by bandits.

“The people in such communities know the bandits personally and their hideouts.

“They go to the market and buy whatever they want, and anytime they like they can strike the communities, kill people and carry their belongings. That is exactly what is happening.

“These people are Nigerians. They live among the people in the community and the people know them and their hideouts.

“So, it is confusing and one cannot understand why they are doing what they are doing and the government has not been able to deal with them decisively.”

He advised the government to go all out not only against the bandits but also against their friends, sympathisers, informants and sponsors, and deal with them ruthlessly, according to the law of the land.

He also noted that they were able to display what they did in Zamfara without a whimper from the security agents because they have powerful individuals in the society who always come for them each time they are arrested.

“Normally, when the security agents arrest these bandits and take them to custody, except they are killed on the spot, they will always find their way out, either from the court, police cell, military cell or wherever they are being kept, and after some time, you see them back in the society.

“There is no legal action against them and this is what is happening. So, their supporters have a way of getting them out whenever they are arrested,” he lamented.

However, he expressed fear that the situation was getting to a point where the people would take the law into their own hands.

“If the communities are fed up, they will fight back. There was a case recently in a community in Zamfara State, where bandits wanted to abduct a bride, but were repelled by the groom’s relatives, who organised, attacked them, killed one of them and took their guns.

“They killed one of the bandits and others ran away; the groom’s relatives collected their guns and returned them to the nearest military checkpoint along Gusau Road.

“So, it is gradually getting to that point where people will begin to react, without waiting for any security agent,” he stated.

“Where is the technology of our military? Where is the technology of our security agents? Why can’t they use common drones to locate these bandits and act decisively on them?

“You will see the bandits exposing their machine guns, and living in the bush; meaning that in less than 10 minutes, the government can locate where they are, but nothing is being done about their activities.

“When the police or the military get a distress call that something is happening at a particular area, before they get permission from the above, the bandits have finished with their operation and disappeared.

“Anytime you report at the police or military checkpoint that something is happening at a particular place, they will tell you that they need to get permission from the top and before the top allows them to act, things would have gone wrong. This is what is happening.

“The painful aspect of the whole thing is that young military officers are always being killed.

“Look at what happened in Niger State recently, where six military officers, including a Captain, were killed. The government should take decisive action on this matter.

“Our military men are always being killed; the police and the DSS personnel, including the community people are being killed every day like animals. This is not good.

“The appearance of those bandits simply means that the people know them and their hideout, so it is time the government acted and stopped giving lame excuses about their invincibility,” he submitted.

IT is beginning to look as if cars are now built to last a life-time. Surprisingly, such cars are not even from established brands that you might be thinking of.

Ordinarily, most people would think that such cars are made in Germany, Britain, America, Japan or Korea. But they are wrong. The cars that are giving world renowned automakers sleepless nights are from China.

Have you imagined that a car built in China could offer 10 years or 1,000,000 kilometer warranty? Or that  a car could float on water in case of emergency? This is the new bar that the Chinese automakers are setting.

Leading this new technology exploits are the Jetour and BYD companies and other Chinese makers are gearing up to surpass the competition in no time.

Jetour SUV

For instance, the new Jetour T2 Sport Utility Vehicle is offering 10 years/one million kilometer warranty and a host of new technologies that could make renown automobile makers look like learners. This five seater  SUV comes with array of features that are not common in its segment, thereby giving other traditional brands serious concern for worry. Roof rails, bulging wheel arches, striking tailgate and high-tech light signature, stand the SUV out.

Measuring about 4.78 meters long which is slightly shorter than the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Jetour T2 comes with imposing front end with its large grille, LED headlights and lower guards.

The T2’s clean cabin comes with 15.6-inch HD central screen as well as 10.25-inch instrumentation and a centre console that houses the gear selector and driving profiles. Ventilate and panoramic roof with snapdragon 8155 chip and 12-speaker Sony audio completes the luxury feelings in the T2.

Power is at your control with the 2.0 Turbo petrol engine which delivers 254 PS and 390Nm of peak torque. This engine is linked to a seven-speed DCT dual-clutch automatic gear and six generation BorgWarner all-wheel drive system.

Features such as remote parking, lane assist, 360 camera, adaptive cruise control with traffic jam guidance, fatigue detector, blind spot monitoring and automatic braking, are standard features of Jetour T2.

Another shocker from the Chinese automaker is the BYD Yangwang U8 SUV which delivers unrivalled off-road prowess and can be driven off-land too. It can float like a boat in flood even when the water gets up to the window level.

BYD revealed that the upcoming U8 Premium Edition was designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, including flash floods. If you’re ever caught in a flood, the SUV will elevate its suspension, turn off its engine (more on that in a bit), switch its HVAC system to re-circulation mode and seal its windows so that it can remain afloat up to 30 minutes, according to CarScoops. The vehicle can do more than just float, though. It can also drive forward at speeds of up to 1.8 mph. You’ll be able to maneuver around objects if necessary, too. 

Water readiness is far from the U8’s only attractive feature. The full-size SUV is being pitched as a Chinese alternative to the ultra-chic Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon and Range Rover. Its unique hybrid power train, the U8 is an extended-range EV (EREV), which means it pairs a four-motor electric power train with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that acts as a range extender. BYD says the setup produces 1,200 hp and has a range of 621 miles.

BYD isn’t the first company to think about making a land-based electric ride that can travel through water. Elon Musk has had the same idea for the Cybertruck. Last year, the company’s CEO posted on X, then known as Twitter, that the eagerly anticipated EV would be able to “serve briefly as a boat.” We’ve yet to see the finished Cybertruck—the examples that have rolled off the line have only been production candidates—so it remains to be seen if the ability will be available.

Vanguard News