A security analyst and Convener of the Katsina Security Community Initiative, Bashir Kurfi, has called on the Federal Government to investigate allegations that some bandit commanders participated in the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, including claims that some were sponsored by state governments.
Kurfi made the call on Tuesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, Ogun State.
According to him, the allegations should not be dismissed without a transparent investigation, stressing that it was the responsibility of the authorities to establish the truth.
He said, “There is an allegation that these bandits, many of the commanders, were in Saudi Arabia. There is also another allegation that some of them were actually sponsored by state governments. What we want is for the government to come out and disprove this. Nobody said this is confirmed. It is an allegation that should be investigated.”
Kurfi explained that the controversy followed comments he made during an earlier interview with Trust TV, where he said reports indicated that some suspected bandit leaders were in Saudi Arabia during the pilgrimage.
He noted that while the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security initially dismissed the claims, the situation changed after the Minister of Interior reportedly confirmed the arrest of suspected terrorists returning from the pilgrimage through the Katsina airport.
“Twenty four hours after the commissioner denied it, the Minister of Interior confirmed that terrorists were arrested while returning from Mecca through the Katsina airport. That is why the issue deserves proper investigation,” he said.
The security expert questioned how individuals suspected of terrorism were able to complete the screening and documentation processes required for Hajj without being detected.
He said, “There is a process for international travel. Pilgrims are verified through their local governments, their documents are checked, and they undergo orientation before travelling. How can all these processes be followed and there is no detection?”
Kurfi also criticised the alleged use of public funds to sponsor pilgrimages, arguing that such a practice would be inconsistent with Islamic teachings if proven to be true.
He said, “Even if they were Imams, paying them to perform Hajj with public funds is un-Islamic because Islam teaches that a person should perform Hajj only when he can afford it.”
He further warned that allowing individuals accused of terrorism related activities to travel abroad without proper scrutiny could create additional security threats.
“It may be part of a peace deal, but the danger is that they may establish links with international groups. Government should strengthen security checks on everyone returning from Hajj, whether they are coming through Katsina, Lagos or anywhere else,” he said.
Speaking on the evolution of banditry in northern Nigeria, Kurfi said many of those involved began with cattle rustling before expanding into kidnapping for ransom and collaborating with terrorist groups.
He described bandits as dangerous criminal elements who often operate from forests, attacking travellers and communities before demanding ransom from victims’ families.
To illustrate the brutality of their operations, Kurfi narrated the abduction of a theatre nurse’s wife, her two month old baby and their five year old son from his village, saying the family spent weeks in captivity despite the payment of millions of naira as ransom.
“They tied them with chains in the bush. After collecting five million naira, they still refused to release the five year old boy until another one million naira was paid. When the child eventually returned, he had more than 20 cigarette burns on his body,” he said.
Kurfi maintained that many of the bandits were not foreigners but locals whose identities and locations were known within their communities.
“Many of the bandits in my area are people we know. I know where some of them live. I know their parents. If the authorities are serious about confronting them, they should act on credible intelligence,” he added.
