Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa announced a gift of ₦1million to a team of 26 soldiers on Thursday after the troops raided some terrorist camps in Zamfara State in September and eliminating one Halilu Sububu, a top terrorist commander with a ₦5 million bounty on his head.
According to reports, Sububu, also known as Halilu Buzu, was among 19 terrorist commanders declared wanted by the Defence Headquarters in 2022 with a reward of ₦5 million on each of them for anyone with useful tips that could lead to their elimination. According to the authorities, the terrorist commander hailed from Sububu village in the Maradun Local Government Area in Zamfara, a northwestern state.
The Defence Headquarters listed Sububu among some wanted terrorists for the second time in March 2024, highlighting his notoriety.
“Who are those ones that did the operation today?” Musa asked the troops’ leaders on Thursday in Zamfara. “Who are the soldiers with you? How many? That’s good. I am giving you guys ₦1 million. Is that clear? You will go and share it; to show you that we appreciate you.”
That gift, if shared equally, amounts to ₦38,461 ($23.46) per soldier. Given the fact that the military is a regimented and hierarchical organisation, the money could be shared based on seniority among the benefitting soldiers rather than on an equal basis.
‘This is unacceptable’
Reacting to this, Bulama Bukarti, a security expert and fellow at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, described the gift as unacceptable, urging President Bola Tinubu to offer national awards to the troops.
Bukarti equally implored Nigerians to donate some money to better appreciate the field soldiers.
“Twenty-six gallant soldiers took down one of the most notorious bandit leaders, Halilu Sububu, in a daring operation, but their reward doesn’t reflect the magnitude of their sacrifice. Join our fundraiser to give them the recognition they truly deserve,” Bukarti said on Sunday.
“The killing of Halilu Sububu is a monumental breakthrough in Nigeria’s war against terrorism. Sububu was not just any criminal — he was one of the most feared and powerful bandit leaders in the country, controlling vast territories of the Sububu Forest and orchestrating countless kidnappings, killings, and terror attacks.
“His reign of terror stretched for years, and until now, no major bandit or Boko Haram leader had been eliminated in such a decisive manner. His death is a victory every Nigerian should celebrate. But let’s focus on the real heroes of this operation — the 26 brave soldiers who risked everything to rid us of this menace.
“Despite their courage, the Chief of Defence Staff rewarded them with just N1 million, even though the Nigerian Army had placed a N5 million bounty on Sububu’s head in 2022. That breaks down to only N38,000 per soldier. Think about it. These men, who face death every day, were given less than N40,000 for one of the most significant victories in this war. Many of these soldiers earn around N50,000 a month and have families to support, while the bandits they fight are earning millions in ransom payments from every kidnapping.
“This is unacceptable. These gallant men and women deserve more than a token gesture—they deserve our full support. That’s why we are calling on the presidency to honour these soldiers with a National Award and a financial reward that truly reflects the magnitude of their sacrifice. This will not only recognise their bravery but also motivate them and others to pursue the remaining bandit leaders and gangs with renewed zeal,” the secuirty expert wrote on X.
The Defence Headquarters could not be reached for comment.
– About Sububu –
Sububu had been leading terrorist attacks on civilians and military forces in the northwest of Nigeria for years, defying efforts to restore peace in the region.
Born of a mother from Niger Republic in 1986, his birth name was Halilu Jammare. His father was an indigene of Jajjaye, a village close to Sububu.
The military believes Sububu was responsible for the murder of 19 officers and the destruction of a security infrastructure in 2021.
A Premium Times report stated that Sububu leveraged his ties with terrorist groups in the Sahelian sphere, including Mali, Senegal, Niger and Burkina Faso, to grow his gunrunning business and illegal mining.
Boasting of his reputation as an arms supplier in Nigeria’s northern region, Sububu had once described himself as the “Leader of the terrorists operating on the northern flank” during an interview.
His reported killing, therefore, was significant in the counter-terrorism fight in 2024.
– Insecurity and violence in Nigeria –
For more than a decade, civilians in Nigeria have faced multiple security threats and risk of atrocities as result of attacks, kidnappings and extortion by various non-state armed groups.
Since the start of 2024 civilians have faced intensified violence across Nigeria, and near-daily attacks by armed groups resulting in kidnappings and other abuses against civilians.
Armed groups and gangs, including so-called “bandits,” have – for many years – perpetrated widespread atrocities, including murder, rape, kidnapping, organized cattle-rustling and plunder. Armed herdsmen are also destroying vast swaths of farmland, prompting many farmers to abandon their land out of fear of attack.
In August, the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said insecurity in Nigeria is weaponised by politicians for political and selfish reasons.
A Nigerian soldier, Suleiman S., also alleged that the government’s practice of paying ransoms to terrorists – dubbed as bandits in the country was hindering the military’s ability to effectively combat them.
He urged the public to redirect their blame from the Nigerian Army to the government, emphasising that soldiers are constrained by orders and cannot take independent action.
The soldier said the military has the capability to eradicate bandits, particularly in hotspots like Zamfara State forest within a week if given the necessary orders.
He expressed frustration that the military’s potential is being wasted due to a lack of direction from leadership, whom he accused of profiting from the ongoing crisis.
He cited the assassination of a Sokoto State monarch, Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa as an example of a coordinated plan by certain individuals or groups to perpetuate insecurity.
Speaking when he appeared on Voice of The People FM, Sowore alleged that government officials have links with the criminals, using them to gain power and later protecting them.
He explained that this is why it is hard for the country to make any meaningful progress in the fight against terrorism and banditry.