In a significant development following recent military action, suspected terrorist and bandit groups in northern Nigeria have begun a widespread relocation. This movement comes directly after coordinated missile strikes carried out by the United States military on Christmas Day, which successfully disrupted several key hideouts.
Christmas Day Strikes Trigger Disarray
President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday, December 26, 2025, that the US military executed deadly strikes against Islamic State-affiliated terrorists in northwestern Nigeria. The Nigerian Federal Government supported the operation, stating it was directed at pre-identified terrorist enclaves. Initial reports indicated no direct casualties from the strikes at the two confirmed impact sites: a farmland in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and some buildings in Offa, Kwara State.
However, the kinetic action had an immediate destabilizing effect. Security sources and residents in affected Sokoto communities reported that the Christmas Day attacks severely disrupted bandit operations, forcing armed elements to abandon their known camps. Officials in Tangaza Local Government Area noted additional strikes targeted suspected hideouts of the notorious Lakurawa armed group.
Bandits on the Move: Sokoto to Benue
Community leaders in Tangaza, Gudu, and parts of Illela in Sokoto State have observed clear signs of dislocation. Speaking anonymously to Sunday PUNCH, these leaders described seeing bandits moving in smaller, less conspicuous numbers towards remote forest corridors. Others were reportedly attempting to cross into neighbouring border communities to evade enhanced aerial and ground surveillance.
"The airstrike sent a strong signal and forced these criminal elements to abandon familiar routes and camps," a community leader from Tangaza revealed. He added that while locals remain cautious, there is a palpable sense of relief that the hideouts were hit.
This exodus has triggered a security alert in other regions. Daniel Abomtse, the Chairman of the Traditional Council in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, raised an alarm over a noticeable influx of armed herders into his domain and nearby Agatu LGA. He claimed these individuals, armed with sophisticated weapons and openly grazing cattle, appeared to be fleeing from the Sokoto axis towards these coastal areas.
Government Response and Heightened Vigilance
In response to the fluid situation, Sokoto State government officials confirmed that intelligence assessments are ongoing to map the direction and scale of the bandit movement. A senior official explained that security agencies have been placed on high alert to prevent terrorists from infiltrating previously safer communities.
Border patrols and joint operations with federal security forces are being intensified to block potential escape routes. The traditional ruler from Benue, while commending the US intervention, made a direct appeal for the operations to be extended to states like Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Niger, and Plateau to prevent these groups from establishing new strongholds.
The events in Nigeria are part of a broader series of US airstrikes in 2025 under President Trump, which have also targeted locations in Yemen, Iran, and Somalia as part of counterterrorism efforts. The situation remains dynamic, with Nigerian security forces monitoring the movements of these displaced armed groups closely.
