13 Nigerian Suspected Bandits, Wives Nabbed in Liberia Post-US Airstrike

Authorities in Bong County, Liberia, have detained 13 Nigerian nationals—suspected bandits along with their wives—following a U.S. military airstrike that disrupted their operations. The group attempted to slip across the border disguised as itinerant traditional medicine vendors, peddling herbal remedies to evade detection. However, their cover unraveled when Liberian border officials discovered most carried expired travel documents, prompting immediate arrests.

The dramatic development unfolded late last week in Liberia’s rural Bong County, a region bordering Guinea and Sierra Leone known for porous frontiers exploited by cross-border criminals. According to reports from Liberia’s security forces and corroborated by local media outlets like FrontPage Africa and New Dawn Liberia, the suspects were fleeing the aftermath of a precision U.S. airstrike targeting bandit enclaves in northern Nigeria. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed conducting drone operations in Nigeria’s Zamfara State around December 30, 2025, aimed at neutralizing high-value bandit leaders linked to kidnappings and cattle rustling.

Eyewitnesses and preliminary investigations revealed the group had crossed into Liberia via bush paths, hauling sacks of purported “bush medicine” to blend in with local herbalist traditions. Bong County Police Commissioner Augustine Warrie told reporters the arrests occurred during a routine checkpoint on the Liberia-Guinea road. “They claimed to be selling agbo [herbal concoctions], but their Nigerian passports were long expired, and intelligence linked them to the Zamfara chaos,” Warrie stated.

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Among the detainees are eight men identified as core suspects with alleged ties to bandit factions like those under the late Halilu Sububu, whose network has terrorized Nigeria’s Northwest for years. The five women, described as spouses, carried minimal luggage but possessed phones with incriminating contacts, per security sources. Liberian officials are now coordinating with Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Interpol for biometric verification and extradition proceedings.

This incident underscores escalating regional security threats as Nigerian banditry spills beyond borders. Since 2023, similar incursions have been reported in Benin and Niger, fueled by military pressures pushing groups southward. The U.S. airstrike, part of Operation Hadin Kai’s extensions, reportedly killed over 20 bandits but scattered survivors, some now surfacing in West Africa.

Human rights advocates, including Liberia’s Chapter of Amnesty International, have urged fair treatment for the detainees, emphasizing due process amid claims of hasty profiling. As investigations deepen, Bong County remains on high alert, with joint patrols bolstered by ECOWAS security teams.

The suspects face charges of illegal entry, document fraud, and potential terrorism links under Liberian law. Trials are slated for next month, pending forensic analysis from U.S. and Nigerian partners.