75-year-old cleric confesses after arrest in Zamfara: I’m spiritual guide for bandits

A 75-year-old cleric, Alhaji Lambo Ilela, has confessed to providing spiritual support to bandits wreaking havoc across Zamfara and Katsina states.

Ilela, who was arrested by a local vigilante group in Zamfara, admitted to aiding criminal gangs for nearly six years, collecting hefty payments in return for his services.

He confessed: “I am a spiritual guide for the bandits who operate in the bush,” Ilela confessed.

“I have been offering them support for almost six years. The first group I supported consisted of nine gang leaders, including Sani Gurugu, a notorious bandit leader commanding several gangs in Safana.”

According to him, his involvement with Gurugu began with a payment of N500,000, followed by an additional N800,000 after a successful operation in Zamfara’s Dan-Sadau area.

“The fortification I provided worked,” he claimed. “During the operation, they rustled cattle and other animals without losing any lives.”

However, not all missions went as planned. Ilela recounted a series of failed operations that left many gang members dead. “After their failed attack in Faskari, Sani Gurugu complained that my spiritual fortification was not strong enough,” he revealed.

“When they attempted another attack in Dubura, they lost eleven members during a confrontation with security forces.”

Zamfara and neighbouring Katsina have been epicentres of brutal attacks as bandits exploit remote hideouts and routes like those in Safana and Faskari to perpetrate their nefarious activities.

A video shared on social media by security expert, Zagazola Makama, shows the moment Ilela confessed to his crimes, admitting his role in aiding some of the region’s most notorious criminal gangs.

Authorities have taken the cleric into custody for further investigation.