“Bandits No Longer Sleep Easy” : Inside Governor Uba Sani’s War Against Kaduna’s Criminal Underworld
By John Femi Adi
On May 29, 2023, as Senator Uba Sani stood at the Murtala Mohammed Square in Kaduna to take the oath of office, the crowd cheered. But beneath the applause lingered a silent, painful truth: Kaduna was a state under siege.
From Birnin Gwari to Giwa, Chikun to Kajuru, bandit attacks had become routine. Families lived as prisoners in their own homes. Farmers abandoned their fields, markets were deserted, and schools had turned into soft targets for kidnappers.
For residents like myself in Kudenda, Chikun Local Government, life before that day was a blur of fear: sleepless nights punctuated by gunshots, whispers of ransom payments, and a sense of helplessness. “Banditry was not just violence — it had become a business empire,” one resident told me.
It was against this backdrop that Uba Sani inherited power — and expectations.
A Governor Who Chose to Fight
Many feared that Kaduna’s new governor would tread the path of compromise: negotiate with criminals, pay ransoms, and hope for temporary calm. Instead, Uba Sani adopted a hard-nosed but human-centered approach that redefined the fight against insecurity.
Within weeks, he began implementing what security analysts now dub “The Kaduna Model” — a blend of kinetic force, community vigilance, economic revival, and victim-centered recovery.
Operation Fushin-Kada: Into the Heart of Darkness
The first signal of change was the launch of Operation Fushin-Kada. For years, soldiers and police had complained of inadequate logistics; bandits exploited the vast forests and rugged terrain as safe havens.
To fix this, the governor procured 150 patrol vehicles and 500 motorcycles, giving security operatives and vigilantes the mobility to penetrate hard-to-reach bandit hideouts.
For once, the hunters were being hunted.
“Before, the bandits could vanish into the forest. Now we chase them there,” a young vigilante told me in Giwa.
Safe Schools, Safe Dreams
But Uba Sani knew security wasn’t just about firepower. Kaduna had witnessed some of the worst school abductions in Nigeria. Parents kept children at home, and classrooms became ghost towns.
His answer: the Safe School Programme. Fences were erected, watchtowers constructed, emergency hotlines activated, and security operatives deployed around vulnerable schools.
“Before, we were afraid to send our children to school. But now, even my youngest daughter is back in class,” beams Malam Ibrahim, a farmer from Chikun whose son narrowly escaped abduction.
Education, once held hostage, was being reclaimed.
Security with a Human Face
Unlike some leaders who secretly cut deals with criminals, Uba Sani made a bold declaration: no ransom payments.
Instead, he directed resources to victims. Homes were rebuilt, displaced families resettled, and widows supported.
“When my house was burnt, I thought I would never recover,” recalls Hauwa Dogo, a widow from Kajuru. “But the government rebuilt homes for us. For the first time, I felt the government was on our side, not the side of bandits.”
This victim-first approach not only restored dignity but also rebuilt trust between citizens and the state.
Economic Revival: Markets Reopened
The war against insecurity was not only fought with guns. Uba Sani understood that poverty and unemployment fed the cycle of violence.
In late 2024, his administration reopened the Birnin Gwari cattle market and the Kidandan market in Giwa, both of which had been closed for nearly a decade due to insecurity.
The decision was more than economic — it was symbolic.
“The reopening of markets means life is coming back,” says Alhaji Musa Tsoho, a cattle dealer. “We are trading freely again. The fear is reducing. Bandits are the ones now hiding, not us.”
The Kuriga Test
Every leader faces a defining moment. For Uba Sani, it came in March 2024 when over 280 schoolchildren were abducted in Kuriga.
The news shook Nigeria and made international headlines. For many, it was déjà vu — another Chibok, another Dapchi. But this time, the story unfolded differently.
The governor resisted pressure to pay ransom. Instead, he coordinated tightly with the military, federal government, and local vigilantes. Within weeks, all 287 children were freed unharmed.
“When I saw my daughter again, I wept like a baby,” says John Mark, father of one of the abducted children. “The governor promised he would bring them back, and he did. That day, our hope in government was restored.”
Building a People’s Army
To sustain gains, the government launched a mass recruitment of 7,000 local vigilantes into the Kaduna Vigilance Service (KADVS).
Trained, kitted, and armed with local intelligence, these vigilantes became a crucial bridge between formal security agencies and communities.
“We know the footpaths where bandits pass. We know the forests. Who better to defend our land than us?” explains Yusuf Bala, a newly recruited vigilante in Giwa.
Their presence boosted manpower, but more importantly, restored a sense of ownership: the people were no longer just victims; they were defenders.
Sidebar: What Analysts Say
“Banditry is no longer the booming business it used to be. The Kaduna approach has shown that with political will, insecurity can be contained — not by enriching criminals, but by empowering people and standing firmly with victims.”
— Dr. Rahmatu Aliyu, Security Analyst
A New Dawn?
Challenges remain. Bandits have not disappeared completely, and some rural areas still live under threat. Yet, something fundamental has shifted.
“We are still cautious, but at least we can farm again. At least our children are back in school,” says Amina, a mother from Birnin Gwari. “That is progress. That is life returning.”
Governor Uba Sani himself admits the war is far from won. But one thing is undeniable: Kaduna’s narrative has changed.
For a state once written off as bandit territory, the message is clear: the days when criminals called the shots are ending.
And as the sun sets over the savannah, there is a new refrain on the lips of residents:
“Bandits no longer sleep easy.”
Comrade John Femi Adi is a Kaduna based public commentator and social media influencer.
jfemi03@gmail.com
08034210833
