SAHARA REPORTERS
A 75-year-old cleric, identified as Alhaji Lambo Ilela, has been arrested by a local community watch group in Zamfara State for allegedly providing spiritual backing to bandits operating in Zamfara and Katsina States.
During interrogation, the elderly cleric reportedly confessed to offering spiritual services to bandits for nearly six years.
He disclosed that his clientele initially consisted of nine gang leaders, including a notorious bandit leader, Sani Gurugu, who commands multiple gangs terrorising communities in Safana.
Ilela further admitted to receiving a payment of N1.3 million from Gurugu in exchange for his spiritual services, which he claimed were meant to enhance the bandits’ operations.
The arrest comes as local vigilantes intensify efforts to curb the activities of criminal groups and their collaborators in Zamfara State, a region plagued by banditry and insecurity.
Meanwhile, the Safana Local Government Area in Katsina State has been a hideout for bandits.
SaharaReporters gathered that Safana and Faskari have become hubs for bandits, who use the routes to launch attacks because Faskari lies on the boundary between Katsina and Zamfara states.
In a video shared on X by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama on Sunday, SaharaReporters observed that the vigilante group handed the suspect over to security forces for further investigation.
However, during interrogation by the local vigilante watch group in Zamfara, the cleric confessed to the crime.
He said, “I am Alhaji Lambo Ilela, and I will tell the Zamfara Local Community Watch group what I am involved in. I was arrested for offering spiritual support to the bandits.
“I am a spiritual guide for the bandits who operate in the bush. I have vowed to confess all my offences to the local vigilante group, and no one forced me to reveal my involvement with the bandits.
“I have been offering spiritual support to the bandits for almost six years. The first group I supported consisted of nine gang leaders. Among them is Sani Gurugu, who leads several gangs that operate in Safana.
“He came to me and gave me N500,000, telling me that they would return after their mission. I fortified them before they went to attack Dan-Sadau in Zamfara State.”
He continued, “When they returned from their operation, Sani Gurugu gave me N800,000. The spiritual fortification I provided was successful. During the operation, they did not kidnap anyone, but they rustled cows and other animals.
“There were confrontations during the operation, but no one lost their life.
“For the second operation, Sani Gurugu did not give me anything, but he came to me and told me that they wanted to go to Faskari. After the attack in Faskari, some of his gang members were killed by security operatives.
“After he came back, he did not give me anything. He complained that their operation was not successful because I did not fortify them well.”
“Meanwhile, after the failed operation, Sani Gurugu came back and told me that they wanted to launch an attack in Dubura, Zamfara State. I also offered them further spiritual support, but their operation was unsuccessful again. On their way, after rustling cattle, they had a confrontation with security forces and eleven of his members were killed,” he added.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
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