Nigeria Orders More Police to Bandit Areas

On Wednesday 11 November 2026, the head of Nigeria’s federal police ordered more officers, vehicles and air support sent to communities hit by bandit attacks. Bandits are armed criminal gangs that raid villages, and the order matters to travellers and security-risk readers, although the affected states were not named.

Nigeria’s police chief has promised reinforcements for communities hit by bandits, but has not said where they will go or how many will be sent.

What the Inspector-General Ordered

Inspector-General Olatunji Disu leads the Nigeria Police Force and addressed senior officers at its headquarters in Abuja, the capital. President Bola Tinubu named him acting chief in February 2026, and the Nigeria Police Council, the body that confirms the police chief, confirmed him on 2 March.

At his monthly conference he ordered the immediate deployment of extra personnel, vehicles and air support to communities hit by bandit attacks in some states. The Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Operations, a top officer below the Inspector-General, coordinates the move with the commands concerned.

Commissioners of Police, who head the force in each state, must give headquarters updated threat assessments and operational requirements within 72 hours if their commands are affected. The deadline runs from the Wednesday conference, and no calendar date was published.

Disu also ordered intelligence-led operations to be stepped up, and every command must hold a standing operational plan for its high-risk zones. Commanders must work with traditional rulers, village heads, hunters’ associations and vigilante groups, meaning local volunteer patrols, to gather community intelligence.

He told officers that bandit attacks are ongoing in some states, and that communities there continue to face real threats to their safety. He wanted the commands to report specifics rather than generalities.

Of local informants he said: “The people know who the bandits are.” He continued: “We must give them the confidence to tell us.”

The order comes two days after we reported the army’s claim of 60 militants killed in a week. The two announcements come from different services, the army and the police.

What the Police Reported for the Month

Since the last monthly conference, police reported 611 arrests in total, including 218 banditry and terrorism suspects and 85 suspected armed robbers. The rest were 129 murder and culpable homicide (unlawful killing) suspects, 59 suspected kidnappers and 120 suspected cultists, meaning members of violent secret societies.

Officers also rescued 95 kidnap victims and recovered 306 firearms, 630 rounds of ammunition and 116 stolen vehicles. We have no independent count of attacks tied to this announcement.

Individual cases are also surfacing. On 9 November we reported the arrest of a terror suspect in Kaduna, in northern Nigeria.

Why It Matters

The federal government wants the police to take over internal security so the military can gradually withdraw, and this order asks the police to carry more of that load. Defence Minister Christopher Musa has acknowledged that long internal security deployments have stretched the military thin.

What to Watch Next

The first checkpoint is the 72-hour deadline for Commissioners of Police in affected commands to file threat assessments. The second is any announcement of which commands receive reinforcements, for which no date has been given.

The Inspector-General also warned officers against colluding with political actors or facilitating thuggery, and said offenders will be disciplined. The remarks referred to elections without giving a date.

What Is Not Known

The announcement did not say which states and communities get reinforcements, or how many officers and aircraft will go. It also named no attack, so we cannot say what prompted the order.

In October we reported an attack in Taraba State that Amnesty International, a global rights group, said killed 40. Nothing in the announcement ties it to this order.

What It Means for You

Because the affected areas were not named, travellers cannot yet tell which routes or towns are involved. Readers with staff or plans in Nigeria should check official travel advisories before they move.

Our Nigeria coverage follows security developments as they are confirmed. Further detail depends on police headquarters naming the commands that receive help.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Nigeria’s police chief order on 11 November 2026?

Inspector-General Olatunji Disu ordered more personnel, vehicles and air support to communities hit by bandit attacks. Commissioners of Police in affected commands must report updated threat assessments within 72 hours.

Which states are affected?

The announcement did not name any state or community. Travellers should check official advisories for the latest guidance.

Who are the bandits?

Bandits are armed criminal gangs that raid villages. The police count banditry and terrorism suspects together in their monthly figures.

When is the next deadline?

The 72-hour deadline runs from the Wednesday conference, and no calendar date was published. No date has been given for the reinforcements to arrive.

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