Banditry: Ganduje decries Kano attack, police tighten Ekiti borders

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress and ex-governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has condemned the bandit attacks on Shanono and Tsanyawa Local Government Areas, which left three people dead and several women and children kidnapped.

In a statement on Wednesday by his former Chief of Staff and ex-Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, Ganduje described the assaults as “tragic, painful, and deeply distressing,” warning that the violent raids constitute “a direct assault on communal peace and social stability.”

He condoled with the bereaved families and affected communities, stressing that the trauma of the incidents requires urgent support and coordinated, decisive intervention from all stakeholders.

Ganduje urged the Kano State Government to adopt proactive, intelligence-driven, and community-based security strategies, cautioning that the situation “is assuming a worrisome proportion that cannot be ignored.”

He advised the government to draw from security models implemented during his administration (2015–2023), including strengthened vigilance groups, community policing, intelligence sharing, close security-agency coordination, and development-focused crime-prevention efforts.

He said these measures helped curb rural banditry, deter urban crime, and maintain relative stability in the state during his tenure.

The former APC chairman hailed the governments of Niger, Kwara, Kebbi, and others for what he called their “effective and decisive handling” of similar security challenges, praising their swift interventions and strong community engagement.

Ganduje also commended President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to modernising the armed forces and strengthening the national security architecture, saying current initiatives reflect “strong political will and clear determination to secure the country.”

He urged residents of the affected areas to remain calm but vigilant and to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely information.

Addressing insecurity requires collective responsibility and synergy among citizens, traditional institutions, government authorities, and security agencies,” the statement added.

Ganduje reassured the people of Shanono and Tsanyawa that they are not alone in their grief and that leaders at various levels remain committed to supporting security efforts in their communities.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Joseph Eribo, said on Wednesday that the command had intensified security across the state, particularly around border towns, schools, places of worship, infrastructure, and identified black spots.

This followed a viral social media video in which a man—suspected to be a bandit—claimed an impending attack on Ekiti State University and Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti.

However, a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Sunday Abutu, said investigations revealed that the clip was an Artificial Intelligence–generated video aimed at causing panic.

Abutu urged residents to disregard the “fabricated rumour,” remain law-abiding, and promptly report suspicious activity to the police through the provided emergency numbers.

On Tuesday, EKSU management had similarly allayed fears, assuring that the campus remains safe and that security agencies and the university’s security unit are on high alert.

Also, the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, dismissed social media claims that bandits had invaded a farmstead in his community, insisting no such incident occurred.

He said security agents and local vigilantes stationed at entry and exit points remain fully operational and urged residents to go about their activities without fear.