A security expert 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, warning that the claims raise serious questions about Nigeria’s intelligence gathering and security screening systems.
Kurfi, who spoke on Tuesday during Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, stressed that the allegations should neither be dismissed nor accepted without investigation.
According to him, the government has a responsibility to either confirm or debunk claims that some suspected bandit leaders travelled to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and that some were allegedly sponsored by state governments.
“I 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 sponsored by state governments. Let the government come out and disprove this because they are allegations, not confirmed facts,” he said.
Kurfi said the controversy stemmed from an earlier interview he granted Trust TV, where he raised concerns over reports that suspected bandit commanders were among Nigerian pilgrims.
He maintained that he never presented the claims as established facts but urged authorities to investigate them.
The security analyst noted that while the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security initially denied the allegations, the narrative shifted after the Minister of Interior reportedly confirmed that suspected terrorists were arrested on their return from the pilgrimage through Katsina Airport.
“The commissioner initially said there was nothing like that. But about 24 hours later, the Minister of Interior confirmed that terrorists were arrested on arrival from Mecca at Katsina Airport. That is why a proper investigation is necessary,” he stated.
Kurfi questioned how individuals suspected of terrorism-related activities could have successfully completed the extensive documentation, verification and screening procedures required for the annual pilgrimage without being flagged by security agencies.
He explained that intending pilgrims undergo several stages of verification, including documentation, local government authentication and orientation programmes before departure.
“With all these processes in place, how could such people pass through without detection? That is the question security agencies should answer,” he said.
He further argued that if any public funds were used to sponsor such individuals—or even religious leaders—it would contradict Islamic teachings, which require Muslims to finance their pilgrimage with personal resources.
Kurfi also warned that allowing persons linked to terrorism to undertake international religious travel could expose Nigeria to greater security threats, including possible links with foreign extremist groups.
“If the government is serious, there should be thorough screening of everyone returning from Hajj, whether they are from Katsina, Lagos or any other state. That is necessary to safeguard the country,” he added.
Speaking on the evolution of banditry in northern Nigeria, Kurfi described bandits as organised criminal elements who initially engaged in cattle rustling before expanding into kidnapping for ransom and collaborating with terrorist groups for logistics and financial gains.
According to him, the criminal networks have become increasingly sophisticated due to weak enforcement and prolonged insecurity.
To illustrate the brutality of their operations, Kurfi recounted the abduction of a theatre nurse’s wife, infant twins and five-year-old son from his village.
He said the family spent about two months in captivity despite the payment of a N5m ransom, while the abductors later demanded an additional N1m before releasing the young boy.
According to him, the child returned with multiple cigarette burn injuries allegedly inflicted by the kidnappers.
Kurfi maintained that many bandits are well known within their local communities, insisting that they are not foreigners but residents familiar with the terrain.
