Why US govment wan place visa restrictions on some Nigerians, govment officials and dia families

Di United States don announce sweeping new visa restrictions wey go target individuals wey chop accuse of religious persecution for Nigeria.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio say Washington - acting on president Trump directive - dey "take decisive action in response to di atrocities and violence against Christians for Nigeria and around di world".

For one statement, e say, "di State Department go restrict US visas for dose wey knowingly direct, authorise, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom.

E warn say di visa policy apply to Nigeria and oda governments or individuals wey dey persecute pipo for dia religious beliefs.

Di policy, under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of di US Immigration and Nationality Act, allow Washington to deny visas not only to perpetrators but also, wia appropriate, to dia immediate family members.

Di announcement dey come at a moment of mounting tension between Washington and Abuja.

Trump recently re-designate Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern (CPC). E bin tok say di US "no fit stand by while such atrocities dey happun for Nigeria," wey signal di possibility of tougher diplomatic and military measures if di violence continue.

Nigeria dey battle a wide array of security threats - jihadist insurgencies for di north-east, marauding armed groups and militias for di north-west and central states, and a rise in mass killings, kidnappings and village raids.

Many of di recent attacks don deliberately target schools and communities, fuelling fears of sectarian escalation and draw sharp condemnation from international rights groups.

President Bola Tinubu don unveil some measures in recent weeks sake of di security situation for di kontri. Dis include intensified military operations for hotspot regions, new deployments to protect rural communities and an overhaul of intelligence coordination.

Di govment don also promise faster reforms of Nigeria overstretched security forces.

Washington say di new visa restrictions dey intended to send unmistakable message: dose wey dey perpetrate or enable religious persecution - for Nigeria or elsewhere - go face firm consequences.

Who be di 'bandits'?

Organised arms groups bin start around 2011, and don spread across di north-western states of Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger.

Dis "bandit" groups bin operate from ungoverned forests for di region. Dem dey engage in cattle rustling, robberies, kidnappings for ransom, rape, looting and killings of residents. For some areas, dem dey tax residents.

Trade of small arms and light weapons for di region, especially from di neighbouring Sahel also dey ginger dia activities.

"Bandits" primarily dey try to enrich demsefs, dem no dey try push any political or ideological agenda. Dem dey operate witout central leadership but dem get notable leaders wey local media dey describe as "kingpins".

Prominent gang leaders include Dogo Gide and Ado Aleru, wey bin operate from Zamfara. Anoda one na Bello Turji, wey im activities dey reported for Zamfara, Sokoto and Niger states.

Di govment proscribe bandits as terrorists for January 2022. Dem put dem for di same category as Islamist insurgents like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), wey dey operate for di Lake Chad basin.

In recent years, plenti reports don dey on how "bandits" dey collabo wit jihadists or adopt jihadist ideology and slogans.

Di govment dey primarily use military methods to tackle di gangs, dem set up camps for di region, conduct air and ground operations and arrest suspected gang members.

Di operations don cause di groups to scata, some don move go west into Kwara State and odas don go south to Kogi and Plateau states.

State govments don support di military operations but dem also don hold peace tok-tok wit gang leaders to stem di violence wey don kill thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands.