A 75-year-old cleric, Alhaji Lambo Ilela, has been apprehended by a local community watch group in Zamfara State for purportedly providing spiritual assistance to bandits operating in the regions of Zamfara and Katsina.
During questioning, Ilela reportedly confessed to serving as a spiritu advisor to bandits for nearly six years. He stated that his clients originally included nine gang leaders, among them the infamous Sani Gurugu, who leads various gangs that have been terrorizing communities in the Safana area.
Ilela further revealed that he received a total of N1.3 million from Gurugu as payment for his spiritual services, which he claimed were intended to enhance the bandits’ effectiveness in their operations.
This arrest comes amidst intensified efforts by local vigilante groups to combat the activities of criminal organizations and their accomplices in Zamfara State, a region grappling with banditry and insecurity.
The Safana Local Government Area in Katsina has become a known hideout for these bandits. Reports indicate that both Safana and Faskari have turned into operational hubs for bandits, providing routes for launching attacks due to Faskari’s location on the border between Katsina and Zamfara states.
A video shared on X by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama displayed the moment the vigilante group transferred Ilela to security forces for further investigation.
During his interrogation by the vigilance group, the cleric openly admitted to his crimes. “I am Alhaji Lambo Ilela, and I will share the truth with the Zamfara Local Community Watch group. I was arrested for providing spiritual support to bandits,” he stated.
“I have acted as a spiritual guide for bandits in the bush. I am confessing voluntarily to the local vigilante group; no one coerced me into revealing my involvement.”
Ilela continued, “I’ve been offering this support for nearly six years. The initial group I assisted consisted of nine gang leaders, including Sani Gurugu, who commands several gangs operating in Safana. He offered me N500,000 before they set out for their mission. I provided spiritual fortification for them before they attacked Dan-Sadau in Zamfara State.”
He added, “Upon their return, Gurugu paid me N800,000, as my assistance had proven effective; they did not kidnap anyone but managed to rustle cattle and other livestock. While there were confrontations, no lives were lost.”
Ilela recounted a subsequent operation where, despite not receiving a payment, Gurugu approached him again to request spiritual guidance for an attack in Faskari. Tragically, some of Gurugu’s gang members were killed by security operatives during that operation. “Afterward, Gurugu told me their operation had failed due to inadequate fortification on my part,” Ilela admitted.
He recounted another instance where he provided spiritual support for a planned attack in Dubura, Zamfara State, which also ended in failure, resulting in the death of eleven gang members following a conflict with security forces after they had rustled cattle.
