An investigation by The PUNCH on Sunday, has revealed that ungoverned spaces and poorly monitored routes in Northern Nigeria are being exploited by foreigners who infiltrate the country and unleash terror on helpless residents.
According to sources, terrorists have carved out dedicated routes across the region for arms smuggling and other criminal enterprises.
Akogun-Abudu Olumayowa, a retired soldier, said the intruders often gain entry into the country through Borno, Adamawa, Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara states.
According to Olumayowa, they mask their real intentions by posing as farmers, herders, or traders, often traveling in large numbers.
“These regions are vast and largely unmonitored, with no immigration controls in place. They (terrorists) also enter through forests as herders. These routes can be found in Borno, Adamawa, Katsina, and Sokoto. It’s organised crime. Some enter through northern borders, manipulating locals through religion with the help of some politicians,” he said.
The PUNCH was able to obtain a list detailing the specific routes used by these foreign terrorists.
Foreign Influence
In January 2025, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, sounded a warning that terrorist groups operating within Nigeria were being backed financially by foreign interests.
He revealed that several apprehended criminals were found with foreign currencies in their possession.
He further stated that the military, in collaboration with international partners, was actively tracing and blocking the foreign funding sustaining terrorist groups, while also urging troops to enhance their efforts to track and neutralize emerging threats.
Similarly, the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, while reacting to a recent massacre that left many dead, asserted that the perpetrators were not Nigerians.
“Let’s have the narrative very correct. We know Nigerians, by our ethnicities, we can identify a Fulani man, a Yoruba man, or a Hausa man; we know them. Even the regular traditional herders know them. They herd cattle with sticks. But these folks (the attackers) are coming in fully armed with AK-47s and 49s. They do not bear the Nigerian look. They don’t speak like we do. Even the Hausa they speak is one sort of Hausa,” Alia said during an interview with Channels Television.
According to reports, at least 113 individuals were killed when assailants stormed Zike, Kimakpa, and other areas within Bokkos and Bassa local government areas of Plateau State.
Similarly, attacks carried out by suspected armed herders in Ukum and Logo LGs of Benue State on April 17 claimed 85 lives. Sunday PUNCH had earlier reported that over 250 people were killed in various attacks in the first two weeks of April, displacing scores of residents.
Investigations confirmed that the terrorists gained access to Nigeria through specific border routes.
Borno’s Vulnerable Corridors
In Borno State, findings showed that Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents have established multiple secret routes around Wulgo village in Gamboru, Ngala Local Government Area.
Located near Lake Chad and bordering Cameroon, Wulgo has remained a hotspot of militant activities.
On March 24, terrorists attacked a military base in the area, resulting in the deaths of 12 soldiers, according to the Cameroonian Ministry of Defence.
A military officer stationed in Borno, who preferred anonymity, disclosed that farmlands in Ngala were often used by terrorists as hidden routes.
“This place (Borno) is vast; many communities share borders with Niger and Cameroon. Kakawa, Abadam, Bama, Ngala, and Kala, among others, are areas where these insurgents operate and attack our security forces.
“They (terrorists) use the Wulgo village route for operations in and out of the area. The military cannot man all these areas due to the large landmass and openness. The terrorists plant explosives on their routes, which have killed many soldiers. The military is trying their best, I must say,” the officer revealed.
Katsina’s Forest Pathways
In Katsina State, informants told Sunday PUNCH that armed criminals take advantage of a forest that links multiple villages with Zamfara State.
The terrorists reportedly have operational routes through Mallamawa and Gurbin Baure villages, and an alternative path running parallel to the 33km Jibia-Gurbin Baure road leading to Kaura Namoda in Zamfara, a road closed by the government in August 2021 due to frequent attacks.
In a joint research paper, Suleiman Ladan and Bilkisu Mutawalli noted the growing menace of banditry in the area.
“Banditry in Jibia LG, like in other LGs sharing forest boundaries with Zamfara, began in 2011. Jibia LG can arguably be rated the third most affected LG by banditry after Faskari and Batsari. This is based on many villages near the bandit hideouts, such as Mallamawa and Gurbin Baure.
“The bandits have camps in the forests of the LG and Zamfara State, from where they move on motorcycles along cattle routes, armed with dangerous weapons to carry out attacks,” they wrote.
Sokoto’s Cross-border Threats
Sokoto State has also become a growing flashpoint for cross-border incursions by armed bandits. Communities located near the Nigeria-Niger Republic border have been particularly vulnerable.
Renowned security analyst Gazali Arzika identified Ruwa Wuri, Tunbulunkum, Gidan Madi, and the border villages surrounding Bale in Gudu LG as major entry points used by the criminals.
“No village around Bale is truly safe anymore. The criminals either cross over from the Niger Republic or from Zamfara State into Sokoto to commit heinous crimes,” he said.
Arzika noted that many of the bandits had set up permanent camps in forests straddling the Niger Republic.
“In recent weeks, attacks have become more brazen. These gunmen now strike in broad daylight. In Tangaza alone, we have witnessed daily attacks. Just this past Tuesday, they blocked the main road from Tangaza to Sokoto for two hours, harassing travellers, extorting money, and kidnapping passengers,” he narrated.
He further revealed that on Wednesday, gunmen stormed Kalajeni, the hometown of the Tangaza LG chairman, killing three residents.
The analyst also reported attacks in Rabbah LG, particularly in Gandi town and neighboring villages, noting that widespread fear now grips the populace.
“Our people are at the mercy of God,” he said despairingly.
The Sahel’s Spillover
Intelligence reports have flagged the Sahel region, stretching across northern Africa, as one of the world’s most unstable territories. The conflicts raging across the region are increasingly spilling over into Nigeria, exacerbating the country’s security challenges.
Findings revealed that as terrorism and instability spread throughout the Sahel — covering Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and others — Nigeria faces escalating threats along its northern flanks.
Notably, Senegal remains the only country in the region untouched by a military coup.
Following the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States, the region has seen heightened instability, facilitating the movement of armed groups into Nigeria through border villages.
Reports confirmed that many of the attackers plaguing northern Nigerian communities hail from Niger, Chad, and Mali.
Border Surveillance Lapses
Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Consulting, Dr Kabir Adamu, confirmed that terrorists freely enter Nigeria through poorly monitored borders and emphasized the urgent need for heightened border surveillance.
He said, “They’re coming in through our porous land borders, which stretch across nearly all the seven northwestern and northeastern states. Almost every landlocked state in Nigeria shares a border with another country, and much of that border remains porous.”
Adamu stressed that the ongoing Sahelian conflicts were fueling Nigeria’s insecurity.
“When you consider that the Sahel is currently the most conflict-ridden region in the world, largely overtaken by non-state actors like criminal gangs or terrorist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and that Nigeria holds immense strategic importance in the region, you begin to understand the pull factor.
“Nigeria presents various opportunities for these groups to expand. For the criminals, it’s a fertile ground for illicit operations. For the ideological groups, it’s a recruitment and expansion hub,” he explained.
A former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, added that while it was evident that many attackers were foreigners, pinpointing their nationalities remained difficult.
“There are indications that the terrorists are not Nigerians, but it’s hard to determine exactly which countries they come from. Since they don’t speak any Nigerian language, that gives a clue.
“ECOWAS has a protocol for free movement, but how are these people getting in so freely—and armed? Are they coming to take over Nigeria or just to seize farmlands? And if it’s about farmland, why not restrict their activities to Sokoto, Katsina, and other border states? Why are they going as far as Plateau and Benue? These are questions that need answers,” he queried.
