Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso to reveal evidence against Nigerian politicians funding bandits

Intelligence agencies from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) are reportedly set to release the names of senior Nigerian politicians accused of fueling banditry in the country’s troubled North-West region.

According to reports from regional security analysts, officials of the three countries claim to have gathered credible evidence linking some Nigerian political figures to notorious bandit leaders operating in Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger States.

The allegations suggest that these politicians provided financial support disguised as “peace deals,” diverted development funds to purchase arms, and even facilitated safe havens and logistics for bandit groups across the porous Nigeria–Niger border.

AES intelligence officers reportedly intercepted communications and tracked the flow of money and arms, with some suppliers operating from Nigerien territory.

For nearly a decade, Nigeria’s North-West has been ravaged by mass kidnappings, village raids, cattle rustling, and extortion, worsening food insecurity and displacement.

While the Nigerian government has launched military operations and peace accords, critics say many of the deals ended up empowering the bandits instead of resolving the crisis.

The AES, formed in 2023 after Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso quit ECOWAS, has since deepened cooperation in intelligence and security. Its agencies claim to have arrested intermediaries linked to Nigerian bandits, raising the stakes for potential cross-border fallout.

If the names of implicated politicians are published, it could trigger political upheaval in Nigeria, spark public outrage, and strain Abuja’s diplomatic ties with AES states. Already, the revelations have intensified debate about long-standing suspicions of political sponsorship of insecurity.

Nigeria’s government is yet to respond, but security watchers say Abuja will face pressure to launch investigations once the list is released. With the 2027 elections approaching, opposition parties may also seize on the allegations to challenge ruling elites.

Analysts warn that beyond politics, the disclosures highlight how arms trafficking and banditry have become transnational, with links to extremist groups and worsening humanitarian crises across West Africa.

For millions of Nigerians enduring kidnappings, killings, and displacement, the hope is that any exposure of sponsors will finally dismantle the networks that have allowed banditry to thrive.

(TheGuardian)