By Peace Udugba
A security analyst and Convener of the Katsina Security Community Initiative, Bashir Kurfi, has called for a thorough investigation into allegations that suspected bandit commanders participated in the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, following reports that suspected terrorists were arrested on their return to Nigeria.
Kurfi, who spoke on Tuesday during Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, said his comments were based on allegations circulating at the time and stressed that it was the responsibility of government authorities to investigate and either confirm or debunk the claims.
He said the allegations included claims that some bandit commanders travelled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and that some may have received sponsorship from state governments.
According to him, “These are allegations. Nobody has said they are confirmed. What we want is for the government to come out, investigate them and either disprove or substantiate the claims.”
Kurfi said the controversy began after an interview he granted to Trust TV in which he mentioned allegations that some bandit leaders were in Saudi Arabia during the pilgrimage. He maintained that he never presented the claims as established facts but as issues requiring official scrutiny.
He noted that while the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security initially dismissed the allegations, the narrative changed after the Minister of Interior reportedly confirmed that suspected terrorists were arrested on their return from Saudi Arabia through the Katsina airport.
He questioned how individuals suspected of terrorism could have successfully passed through Nigeria’s travel and Hajj screening processes without detection.
According to him, intending pilgrims are expected to undergo several stages of verification, including documentation, authentication by their local governments and pre-departure orientation programmes.
“How can all these processes be completed without detecting such individuals if the allegations are true?” he asked.
Kurfi also criticised any suggestion that public funds could have been used to sponsor pilgrimages for individuals linked to criminal activities, arguing that government-sponsored Hajj for religious leaders or others contradicts Islamic teachings, which require pilgrims to finance the journey themselves.
He further warned that allowing suspected terrorists to travel internationally could expose the country to additional security risks through possible contacts with foreign extremist groups.
He urged security agencies to intensify screening and surveillance of returning pilgrims and other international travellers to safeguard national security.
Speaking on the evolution of banditry in northern Nigeria, Kurfi described bandits as criminal elements who initially specialised in cattle rustling before expanding into kidnapping for ransom and collaborating with terrorist groups for logistics and financial gains.
He said the criminals typically operate from forest hideouts, from where they launch attacks on communities and travellers.
Kurfi also recounted a kidnapping incident in his village involving the family of a theatre nurse, whose wife, infant twins and five-year-old son were abducted by bandits.
According to him, the victims spent months in captivity under harsh conditions despite the payment of millions of naira in ransom, while the young boy was allegedly tortured before his eventual release after an additional ransom demand was met.
He said the incident illustrated the brutality of bandit groups and the humanitarian consequences of the growing insecurity in affected communities.
Kurfi maintained that many of the bandits were not foreign fighters but local residents known within their communities, making intelligence gathering and targeted security operations possible if authorities acted decisively.
He claimed that many residents know the locations and identities of some of the bandits and urged security agencies to make better use of local intelligence in tackling insecurity.
The security expert called on the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to conduct transparent investigations into the allegations surrounding the 2026 Hajj, strengthen screening procedures for international travel and intensify efforts to dismantle bandit networks across the country.
