On October 18, 2025, Vanguard reported that Nigeria is under siege from 270 ungoverned enclaves where terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers dominate forests, creeks, and highways across all six geopolitical zones. From Edo’s thick forests to Bayelsa’s murky waterways and Katsina’s deadly roads, criminals have carved out territories beyond state control, leaving citizens vulnerable to abductions, killings, and robberies.
In Edo, kidnappers and herdsmen rule forests along Benin–Auchi and Sapele roads, prompting over 1,200 security operatives to conduct drone-supported raids. Bayelsa’s creeks foster piracy and cultism, countered by intensified Navy and police operations with CCTV surveillance. Akwa Ibom battles waterway piracy, while Delta’s forests, like Abraka, remain kidnapping hubs despite tactical police interventions.
Northern states face severe threats: Kebbi’s Aliero and Badariya areas see rising robbery; Benue’s Agatu and Ukum endure daily militia attacks; Kaduna’s Katari and Birni Gwari forests are bandit strongholds; and Niger’s 18 LGAs suffer persistent banditry. Kwara reports over 50 terrorist enclaves, Borno and Yobe face Boko Haram ambushes, and Sokoto’s “Axis of Evil” LGAs are plagued by cross-border crimes.
In the South West, Lagos battles robbery in Mushin and Ajegunle, while Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, and Oyo tackle cultism and highway crimes through joint patrols with Amotekun and police. Security agencies nationwide are intensifying efforts, but as one enclave is dismantled, new ones emerge, raising questions about who truly governs Nigeria’s ungoverned spaces.
