The Kebbi State Government has raised the alarm over the emergence of a new terror group, identified as “Sai Malam,” operating within the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Home Affairs, Col. Hassan Riba (retd), disclosed this during a security stakeholders’ meeting in Birnin Kebbi. The meeting was attended by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Sulaiman Abdul.
According to Riba, the sect was first detected and dislodged by security forces in the Zuru Emirate, but its members have recently resurfaced in the Argungu area of the state.
“We have one pressing issue now, which is the emergence of another terror group called ‘Sai Malam’. We dislodged them in Zuru when we discovered them, but I recently saw them again in Argungu,” Riba said.
He further alleged that the group conducts blood sacrifices among its members, warning that “it is high time the police took note of this sect and dealt with it decisively.”
Riba noted that as part of ongoing efforts to combat insecurity, the state government has deployed Mobile Police personnel to the Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area to curb bandit infiltration.
Also speaking at the event, Governor Nasir Idris, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Kabir Adamu, stated that the state administration has distributed operational vehicles, motorcycles, and other equipment to security agencies to enhance their operations. He emphasized the need for deeper collaboration, intelligence sharing, and the involvement of traditional rulers in local security.
Reacting to the development, the IGP directed security agencies to immediately profile the group before it establishes a foothold in the region.
Speaking through DIG Abdul, the IGP emphasized the urgent need to secure waterways and riverine communities to block the smuggling of weapons.
“The Kebbi Command must immediately re-engineer its operational strategies to reflect robust regional and federal synergy,” the IGP said. “You must optimize your riverine patrols, combining physical presence with actionable intelligence gathered through direct partnerships with fishing communities, transport unions, and traditional institutions.”
He also ordered the implementation of “Handshake Patrols” to coordinate joint operations along land and river borders sharing boundaries with Sokoto and Zamfara states.
The DIG concluded by appealing to traditional rulers and community leaders to support the police with timely and credible information to protect their localities.
