75-year-old Islamic Cleric Arrested For Providing Spiritual Support To Bandits

75-year-old Islamic Cleric Arrested For Providing Spiritual Support To Bandits
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A 75-year-old cleric, identified as Alhaji Lambo Ilela, has been arrested by a community watch group in Zamfara State on suspicion of providing spiritual support to bandits operating in Zamfara and Katsina States.

During questioning, the elderly cleric confessed that he had been providing spiritual services to bandits for nearly six years. His clients were the leaders of nine gangs, including the notorious bandit leader Sani Gurugu, who commanded several gangs terrorizing the community of Safana.

Ilela further admitted to receiving N1.3 million from Gurugu in exchange for his spiritual services, which he claimed were to bolster the bandits’ activities.

The arrest comes as local vigilantes step up efforts to curb the activities of criminal groups and their collaborators in Zamfara State, which is plagued by banditry and deteriorating security conditions.

Meanwhile, Safana Local Government Area in Katsina State has become a hideout for bandits, and Didactic Information Hut reported that Safana and Faskari have become strongholds for bandits, who use this route to launch their attacks since Faskari is on the border between Katsina and Zamfara States.

In a video shared on X by security analyst and counterinsurgency expert Zagazola Makama on Sunday, Didactic Information Hut confirmed that the vigilante group has handed over the suspects to security forces for further investigation. However, during an interrogation by the local vigilante 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.

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