Notorious bandit kingpin, Dogo Gide, has reportedly emerged as a major obstacle to the expansion of the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) in Nigeria’s North-West, inflicting significant losses on the terror group and forcing its fighters to retreat.
Security analyst Brant Philip disclosed this in a post on X on Wednesday while analysing ISSP’s activities and its attempts to establish stronger relationships with armed bandit groups across the region.
According to Philip, ISSP has repeatedly reached out to bandit groups in Sokoto, Zamfara and Niger states over the past two years, seeking to persuade them to surrender, repent and join its extremist campaign.
He explained that while some bandit groups in Zamfara and Sokoto accepted the group’s overtures and were absorbed into its ranks, others rejected the offer and resisted its advances.
Philip further disclosed that ISSP fighters had defeated several bandit groups in northern Zamfara, subsequently taking control of their camps, weapons and vehicles.
However, he said the group’s expansion efforts encountered a major setback around mid-2026 when its fighters confronted Dogo Gide, a prominent bandit warlord operating in the region.
The analyst described Gide as an unexpected obstacle to ISSP’s expansion, noting that the confrontation was particularly significant because the group had previously faced resistance from other armed factions.
In his post, Philip wrote:
“As I have reported during the past two years, ISSP has many times initiated contact with bandit groups in Sokoto, Zamfara and Niger states, among others, in the hope to make them surrender, repent and join the Islamic State’s cause.
“Some in Zamfara and Sokoto answered the call and were absorbed into their ranks, and others decided to resist. Many bandits were defeated in northern Zamfara by IS, and their camps, weapons and vehicles were taken over.
“However, a few months ago, around mid-2026, IS faced their most significant obstacle yet in their expansion. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t JNIM or the army; it was Dogo Gide, a prominent warlord who characterised himself by maintaining opportunistic ties with jihadists in some periods and was also the only one able to kick out Sadiku’s JAS faction from its strongholds in Niger State towards the west.”
Philip’s analysis highlights the complex relationships and rivalries among armed groups operating in Nigeria’s North-West, where bandit networks and jihadist organisations have continued to compete for influence and territorial control.
