An arrest has been made in Zamfara State, Nigeria, where a 75-year-old cleric, Alhaji Lambo Ilela, has been taken into custody for allegedly providing spiritual support to bandits operating in the region.
The arrest was made by a local community watch group, who handed Ilela over to security forces for further investigation.
During interrogation, Ilela confessed to offering spiritual services to bandits for nearly six years, claiming that his services were meant to enhance the bandits’ operations.
He also admitted to receiving a payment of N1.3 million from a notorious bandit leader, Sani Gurugu, in exchange for his spiritual services.
Ilela’s confession revealed that he had been working with a group of nine gang leaders, including Gurugu, who commands multiple gangs terrorizing communities in Safana. The cleric’s involvement with the bandits dates back to 2018, when he began providing them with spiritual fortification.
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.
The Safana Local Government Area in Katsina State has been identified as a hideout for bandits, who use the routes to launch attacks because Faskari lies on the boundary between Katsina and Zamfara states.
