Roadside bomb blast kills 26 in Nigeria’s restive northeast

At least 26 people have been killed as a truck hit an improvised explosive device in Nigeria’s restive northeast.

The blast on Monday killed men, women and children in Borno State, near the border with Cameroon, according to the military and residents. The region has been plagued for decades by armed groups including the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, with violence flaring up in recent days.

“Twenty-six people died in the blast, comprising of 16 men, four women and six children,” a military officer speaking on condition of anonymity told the AFP news agency, adding that three further passengers were severely injured.

Borno State police offered no immediate comment.

The International NGO Safety Organisation, which provides security to foreign nongovernmental organisations in northeast Nigeria, said in an internal memo seen by the Reuters news agency that vehicles moving between the towns of Rann and Gamboru Ngala hit an IED.

“I took part in the funeral of the 26 people killed in the explosion; most of them were burned beyond recognition,” Akram Saad, a resident of the nearby town Rann, told AFP.

A video showed rows of bodies in white plastic bags laid on the floor of the morgue at Rann’s general hospital.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. But Abba Amma Muhammad, whose mother was killed, blamed the incident on Boko Haram.

Violence flares

Boko Haram’s uprising has plagued northeast Nigeria for the past 15 years, killing more than 40,000 people. The government has asserted that the groups are largely defeated, despite the persisting attacks.

ISWAP is also active in northern Borno and has launched sporadic ambushes on convoys and planted landmines along its highways.

The blast comes amid a flare-up of violence in northeast Nigeria in recent days, with the death toll rising to at least 50 people.

Boko Haram killed about 10 “vigilantes” from the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in the state of Adamawa, sources reported earlier on Monday, according to AFP.

On Thursday, the group killed 14 farmers in Borno’s Gwoza district, a local official said.

Borno State governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday told Nigeria’s defence minister and military chiefs that Boko Haram and ISWAP were entrenching themselves in Lake Chad islands, Sambisa Forest and Mandara mountains on the border with Cameroon as a result of “military setbacks”.

Aljazeera

Nigeria confronts new 'drone threat' from ISWAP

The Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) recently deployed four armed drones carrying locally made grenades in an attack on the Forward Operating Base in the Wajikoro area of Borno, Northeast Nigeria, leaving about five soldiers injured.

Nigeria's military has stepped up efforts to contain ISWAP and Boko Haram insurgents. This week, local media reported that the army had thwarted plans by ISWAP to establish bases in Plateau and Bauchi states.

Using weaponized drones marks a significant shift in the insurgent group's tactics. Residents and critics are worried the new shift could further prolong the conflict in the region. Authorities have since banned the flying of drones, citing security concerns, while acknowledging that non-state actors have used the technology against military targets and Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

Several African countries have adopted the use of drones, particularly the Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle, in their fight against armed groups. The Sahel region is the epicenter of global terrorism and now accounts for over half of all terrorism-related deaths.
ISWAP's use of drones

ISWAP initially used drones to spread propaganda and surveillance. The group reportedly also operates tech tools like satellite internet and even uses artificial intelligence to edit propaganda materials.

In 2016, the group broke away from Boko Haram over doctrinal differences and subsequently became an affiliate of the so-calledIslamic State(IS), which gave the group access to resources and technical assistance.

Experts say the proliferation of drone warfare by state actors and its adoption by armed groups means they can enhance their offensive capabilities while minimizing risks to their fighters.

"They (ISWAP) have been using drones as observation drones for some time already," Vincent Foucher, a research fellow at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), told DW. He explained that the use of armed drones is growing in popularity with the war in Ukraine, adding it has "become a sort of staple of modern conflict."


How ISWAP acquires drones

The insurgents' access to high-tech devices has largely been linked to their control over smuggling routes and arms trafficking networks, including looting and sourcing hardware within the country.

They also modify commercially available drones, specifically the quadcopter.

"ISWAP has proven to be highly adaptive, learning and evolving in response to state military strategies," Samuel Malik, who works with Good Governance Africa, told DW.

"Their shift toward incorporating drone technology mirrors broader global trends in warfare, where both state and non-state actors increasingly rely on unmanned systems for offensive and defensive operations."

Call to adapt a new strategy

Analysts say authorities must embrace a comprehensive new strategy that combines technological innovation, military preparedness, and coordination with neighboring countries.

"There is an urgent need for the deployment of systems capable of detecting, and neutralising hostile drones. Tools such as jamming devices, radar detection systems, and spoofing technologies can play a vital role in protecting military assets and civilian infrastructure from drone attacks," Malik said.

Taiwo Adebayo, who has been monitoring the war against Islamist insurgents for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), suggested that the Nigerian state must strengthen its non-kinetic approach to counterterrorism and blocking the insurgents' supplies and disrupting their financing.

According to Foucher, ISWAP's latest use of drones to carry out attacks in the region is symbolic. "This new bout of armed drones is part of that [ISIS-ISWAP technological transfer]. I don't think it's a game-changer," Foucher said.

"It's very symbolic," the counterterrorism expert stressed, adding that it is rather proof that ISWAP is still very active.

Impact of Boko Haram insurgency

Since the Boko Haram insurgency erupted in the northeastern town of Maiduguri in July 2009, the terrorists have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and displaced over 2.3 million from their homes.

Adebayo noted that although the drones used by the terror group are still the commercially available ones modified for attacks, it still "challenges existing counterterrorism strategies.

"With aerial capabilities, ISWAP—if not quickly stopped—could conduct high-impact assaults while minimising their casualties. The group could turn military outposts and relatively secure civilian locations into potential targets. "For civilians, it would mean decreasing confidence in the state military, thereby inducing gravitation toward the insurgents.

"It's not just the guerilla warfare that we normally experience this time around; they are conducting two forms of attacks. One, looting. Most of the attacks recently are to loot local communities of their goods and properties, and attacking military bases," Ijasini Ijani, a resident, told DW.

By Abiodun Jamiu, DW

Attack leaves at least 40 people dead in Nigeria

Nigeria's president said on Monday that at least 40 people were killed when Muslim gunmen, believed to be herders, attacked a Christian farming community in the north-central part of the country, the latest in an increasing wave of violence in the West African country.

President Bola Tinubu also said he has ordered an investigation over the late Sunday night attack on the Zike community, extending his condolences to the victims and their families.

"I have instructed security agencies to thoroughly investigate this crisis and identify those responsible for orchestrating these violent acts," Tinubu said in a statement late Monday.

Amnesty International said the victims, who included children and the elderly, were taken by surprise and could not flee from the gunmen.

Such attacks have become common in this part of Africa's most populous country, where gunmen — typically herders from Fulani, a Muslim tribe — exploit security lapses to launch deadly raids on farmers in a fight over land resources.

According to Andy Yakubu, a local resident, gunmen in Sunday night's attack also destroyed and looted homes in the Zike community, located in the Bassa area of Plateau state.

Yakubu said he saw bodies after the attack and that the number of dead could exceed 50. No one has been arrested so far, he added.

The Fulani have been accused of carrying out mass killings across the northwest and central regions, where the decades-long conflict over access to land and water has further worsened the divisions between farmers and herders, Christians and Muslims.

Amnesty says that between December 2023 and February 2024, 1,336 people were killed in Plateau state — an indication that the measures taken by Tinubu's administration to curb the violence are not working.

Samuel Jugo, spokesperson of the Irigwe Development Association, an ethnic organization in the Bassa area, said in a statement on Monday that at least 75 people of the Irigwe, a Christian ethnic group, have been killed since December 2024.

Jugo said that despite deployment of additional security forces to the area, violence still occurs and described the latest assault as "very provocative, vexing and undeserving."

In May 2024, armed men attacked remote villages in Plateau, killing at least 40 people during a late-night raid.

The violence over land resources in north-central Nigeria is separate from the battles with Boko Haram, Nigeria's homegrown jihadis who took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. That conflict, now Africa's longest struggle with militancy, has also spilled into Nigeria's northern neighbors.

AP

Video - Boko Haram attacks on military formations concern Nigerian authorities

Boko Haram launched a wave of attacks on military bases in Nigeria's Borno State. Governor Babagana Zulum responded with a call for aggressive military action, warning the group may be regrouping and retaking territory. Officials said the renewed violence could derail efforts to resettle displaced residents.

CGTN

How Nigeria can stop rising 'jungle justice'

A stolen phone, a whispered accusation, and slowly, a crowd gathers. In minutes, the charges are read out to the suspect and "justice" is administered — not in a courtroom, but on the street.

Mob justice, often called "jungle justice" in Nigeria, is the act of a crowd taking the law into their own hands by punishing suspected criminals without giving them the right to defend themselves via judicial procedures.

Over the past decade, such violence in Nigeria has surged, fueled by distrust in law enforcement, economic hardship, and the rapid spread of misinformation.

"It's [mob justice] been a long time with us," said Frank Tietie, a Nigerian legal expert and Executive Director of Citizens for Social Economic Rights in Abuja.

"Where law enforcement agents are seen to be restricted only to capital cities or the various states or in the nation's capital, people tend to have a sense that the government is far away and they can do whatever they like," he said.

A case of mistaken identity

Recently, 16 hunters traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano were lynched in Edo State on mere suspicion of being bandits and kidnappers.

According to local reports, the victims were traveling back to their home in Kano after attending Muslim Eid al-Adha celebrations when local vigilantes stopped the vehicle they were in.

Upon searching, the vigilante members found homemade Dane guns used by the hunters. The discovery quickly attracted a crowd who concluded the travelers were criminals and burned them alive.

Their gruesome deaths have reignited debates on lawlessness, justice, and the failure of policing in Africa's most populous nation.

President Bola Tinubu and human rights groups condemned the incident, and Tinubu vowed to pursue those who perpetrated the act and bring them to justice.

Nigeria's constitution stipulates that under no circumstances should the life of any Nigerian be taken except in accordance with the provisions of the law, with the pronouncement of the judgment of a court.

Common scenarios that lead to vigilantism

Apart from petty theft, such as pickpocketing, stealing mobile phones, bicycles, or motorcycles, suspicions of witchcraft or child theft can lead to mob justice.

However, cases of false accusations, mainly driven by personal vendettas, such as business competition, have also been documented by Amnesty International.

As Nigeria is a deeply religious country with dozens of ethnic communities, tensions can easily trigger mob actions, particularly during periods of unrest or crisis.

"There are instances even in police stations the case will reach there, and you find people round the police station, they want to get the culprit out and set him ablaze," Ben Shemang, DW correspondent in Abuja, said.

Over the past decade, Amnesty International has documented at least 555 victims of mob violence in Nigeria.


How Nigeria can curb 'jungle justice'

To reverse the trend and end the vice, experts say the Nigerian government needs to intervene by increasing public awareness campaigns against mob violence.

There is also an urgent need for police reforms and human rights training.

"We should put more pressure on the national assembly to decentralize the police system," Frank Tietie said, adding that the federal-controlled police have become incompetent and corrupt.

"The hope is that when we have a decentralized police system, where various states and local governments can organize proper police for us, then we may have less issues of jungle justice and extra judicial killings as we had in Edo State," he said.

Additionally, there needs to be increased advocacy for justice reforms and promotion of peaceful conflict resolution, and most importantly, local communities and security agencies must emphasize collaboration to build mutual trust and responsiveness.

Josephine Mahachi, DW

Priest kidnapped and murdered

A Catholic priest has been kidnapped and murdered in the Diocese of Kafanchan, in Nigeria's Middle Belt.

Father Sylvester Okechukwu was taken from his residence on the evening of 4 March, according to a statement released by the diocese. He was found murdered in the early hours today, Wednesday, 5 March.

No reason has been given for his murder at the hands of his abductors.

A statement sent by the diocese to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) states: "The untimely and brutal loss has left us heartbroken and devastated.

"Father Sylvester was a dedicated servant of God, who worked selflessly in the vineyard of the Lord, spreading the message of peace, love and hope. He was always available and accessible to his parishioners.

"His untimely death has left an indelible void within our diocesan family, and we share in the pain of his passing with his family, friends and all those who knew and loved him."

The murder of Father Sylvester comes at a time when another two Nigerian priests - Fathers Matthew David Dutsemi and Abraham Saummam - are still missing, having been abducted on 22nd February in the Diocese of Yola.

This year, five priests and two religious sisters have been kidnapped in Nigeria.

In 2024, 13 priests were kidnapped in Nigeria, all of whom were eventually released.

Insecurity is rife in Nigeria, with Christians complaining about discrimination and persecution in many parts of the country, especially in the north. Besides inter-religious tensions, criminal gangs have kidnapped citizens who are then held for ransom.

ACN has joined the Catholic authorities of Nigeria in calling for prayers for the repose of Father Sylvester and also in their appeal to the government to increase security.

By Filipe d'Avillez, ICN

Nigeria bets on deradicalization program in North West

The Nigerian government said it is expanding its deradicalization program, Operation Safe Corridor, to the country's North West to tackle rising insecurity in the region. In Nigeria, the North West is a geopolitical zone comprising the states of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

The North West has been locked in a decade-old conflict as criminal gangs, otherwise referred to as bandits, raid villages and run a large kidnap-for-ransom industry. They are known to sexually assault women, kill citizens, and tax locals across vast swaths of northern Nigeria.

Chief of Defence Operations Emeka Onumajuru, who represented General Christopher Musa, the chief of defence staff, said the deradicalization program is "vital to breaking the cycle of terrorism and banditry through a structured pathway for rehabilitation and reintegration" of bandits. The program has also been used to deradicalize former Boko Haram fighters in the North East zone.

Deradicalization efforts yield results in North East

So far, Nigerian officials say Operation Safe Corridor has been instrumental in the fight against insurgency in the North East. The program aimed to rehabilitate former insurgents who surrendered or defected, reintegrating about 2,190 repentant terrorists back into the society.

The initiative is built on five pillars, says Onumajuru. These are: disarmament, demobilization, deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration.

While the program has been relatively successful in the North East region, concerns have been raised about recidivism, with reports of some rehabilitated individuals returning to terror groups.

Now with the intended expansion of the program to the North West, analysts have raised questions about Operation Safe Corridor's effectiveness. This is because the banditry in North West is largely driven by financial incentives like ransom payments, cattle rustling, and illegal mining, rather than ideology.

Can Operation Safe Corridor repeat successes?

Samuel Malik, a senior researcher at the pan-African think tank Good Governance Africa, believes the replicating the program is not inherently flawed. He says only "kinetic responses" that involve aggressive measures, often with military action, cannot solve Nigeria's security challenges.

But Samuel Malik adds the program can only succeed in the North West "if it is properly structured, monitored, and adapted to local realities, rather than being a rushed initiative."

"Deradicalization is effective when dealing with individuals who have been indoctrinated into violent extremist ideologies, but most bandits in the North West have explicitly rejected jihadist agendas," Samuel Malik said.

Oluwole Ojewale, an analyst with Dakar-based Institute for Security Studies, said the problem with "Safe Corridor" is that it was developed for terror groups who share extreme views.

"If what the government wants to do is demobilization, it is quite in order. But they cannot afford to copy and paste what they did in the North East and replicate the same in the North West," he told DW.

Deep-rooted problems remain

Critics of Operation Safe Corridor have said the program is perpetrator-centered and risks being seen as a reward system for terrorists.

Dengiyefa Angalapu, a counterterrorism and peacebuilding researcher, said this argument is reductionist. He told DW the initiative can be implemented in the North West as there are multiple actors in the region, including ideological terror groups, which often get generalized under the catchphrase of banditry.

Dengiyefa added that the deep-rooted grievances among herders prompt some to take up arms and make the initiative suitable for the region.

"Kinetic strategy alone cannot lead to a decline in terrorism. This is an initiative that should be expanded to other parts of the country to provide a national framework for countering terrorism," he told DW.

The analysts seem in agreement that this strategy should involve local peacebuilding mechanisms and economic empowerment to prevent relapse.

"While certain elements of the initiative such as psychological support, vocational training, and community reintegration remain crucial, the government should prioritize economic reintegration, conflict resolution, and mechanisms that prevent re-engagement in criminal activities," Samuel said.

By Abiodun Jamiu, DW

At least 20 Nigerian soldiers killed in attack on remote army base

At least 20 Nigerian soldiers have been reportedly killed in a suspected attack by fighters from the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The attackers targeted an army base in the remote Malam-Fatori town in the northeastern Borno state on Friday, with a surviving soldier saying the attack lasted for more than three hours.

Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters mainly operate in Borno and have attacked both security forces and civilians, killing and displacing tens of thousands of people.

Reuters news agency, citing security sources and residents, on Sunday said a commanding officer was among those killed after ISWAP members arrived on gun trucks and attacked the Nigerian Army’s 149th Battalion in Malam-Fatori, gateway to the border with Niger.

“They rained bullets everywhere,” one of the surviving soldiers told Reuters by phone, adding that the troops were taken by surprise.

“We tried so much to repel the attacks and after more than three hours of gun duel, they overpowered us, killing our commanding officer, a lieutenant colonel,” the soldier said, declining to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

He said 20 soldiers died while several were injured.

Residents who left the town said some of the attackers were seen in Malam-Fatori as late as Saturday night.

Malakaka Bukar, a member of the local militia recruited to help the army, said the fighters also burned buildings, forcing some residents to flee the town.

“They preached to some of the residents,” said Bukar.

ISWAP split from the mainstream Boko Haram in 2016 to become the dominant armed faction in northeastern Nigeria.

Although weakened by military assaults and internal fighting over the years, Boko Haram and ISWAP have stepped up attacks in Borno since the turn of the year, killing dozens of farmers and fishermen in a series of raids.

The 15-year-old conflict has killed nearly 40,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes in the northeast.

The violence spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, leading to the creation of a regional force to fight the armed groups.

Al Jazeera

UN seeks $910 million for humanitarian crisis in Nigeria

The United Nations will this week appeal for $910 million to help tackle a humanitarian crisis in northeastern Nigeria, which has been in the grip of an Islamist insurgency since 2009 and was hit by flooding last year, documents showed on Wednesday.

The UN documents seen by Reuters showed that 7.8 million people need help in the three northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, and the UN aims to help 3.6 million of them.

At $910 million, it is the most expensive humanitarian crisis in West and Central Africa, ahead of Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, the documents showed.

Nigeria is also grappling with a cost of living crisis that has seen inflation accelerate to its highest level in nearly three decades, propelled by skyrocketing food prices.

The UN has previously said Nigeria's northeast risks becoming a forgotten crisis as the humanitarian focus has shifted to crises elsewhere such as Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan.

A joint report by the government and UN in November said Nigeria faces one of its worst hunger crises with more than 30 million people expected to be food-insecure this year.

President Bola Tinubu's economic reforms, including scrapping a fuel subsidy and foreign exchange controls, have been blamed for worsening Nigeria's economic troubles. He says the reforms will put the economy on a stronger path to growth.

By Ope Adetayo, Reuters

Video - Nigeria seeks UN intervention to beat insurgencies

Nigerian authorities want an investigation into foreign funding that may be sustaining militant groups. The groups often finance their operations through ransom kidnappings and looting.

CGTN

Gunmen kidnap at least 50 in Nigeria's Zamfara state

A gang of gunmen kidnapped more than 50 women and children in a raid on Kakin Dawa village in Nigeria's northwest Zamfara state, police and residents said.

Kidnapping for ransom by gunmen, known by locals as bandits, is rife in northwest Nigeria due to high levels of poverty, unemployment and the proliferation of illegal firearms.

Zamfara police said the incident took place on Sunday and that additional security forces were being deployed to the area.

Residents said dozens of assailants riding on motorcycles arrived in the village at around 1230 GMT, armed with assault rifles, and went from house to house kidnapping residents.

"Later we found out that they kidnapped more than 50 women, including married women and girls," said Hassan Ya'u, who escaped the attack but whose younger sister was taken.

"We are appealing to the federal and Zamfara state governments to send more soldiers and security personnel to fight those bandits," he said.

There is widespread insecurity in northwest Nigeria, while a 15-year Islamist insurgency has plagued the northeast of the country and gang and separatist violence affects the southeast.

"We are currently waiting to hear the kidnappers' demands for the release of the abducted individuals," said Abdulkadir Sadia, another resident of the village. "The entire community is in distress." 

By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters

Suspected bandits lay explosives on Nigerian road, causing damage

A gang of armed men planted explosives along the Dansadau-Gusau road in northwest Nigeria's Zamfara state, causing significant damage and casualties, a military spokesperson and witnesses said on Wednesday.

Armed gangs in northwest Nigeria, known by locals as bandits, have escalated their attacks, resorting to a dangerous new tactic of planting explosives on major highways to target civilians and security forces.

Witnesses Bello Dansadau and Abubakar Ismail told Reuters at least 12 travellers were killed and six others wounded after their vehicle ran over an explosive on the road.

Joint Task Force spokesperson Abubakar Abdullahi said in a statement that the military had deployed an explosive ordnance disposal team to the area to neutralize any remaining explosives. He did not say how many people had been killed.

Abdullahi said a JTF unit is working closely with local authorities to investigate the attack and apprehend the perpetrators.

"We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities," he said.

Bandits in northwest Nigeria have frequently raided communities, killing and kidnapping residents, farmers, students and motorists for ransom. 

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Video - Millions of Nigerians go hungry due to severe floods, insecurity, rising food costs

The World Food Programme says the number of people in dire need of food aid in Nigeria is expected to rise to 33 million by June 2025. The group blames the food insecurity issue on unfavorable weather conditions, insurgent attacks, and a surge in food prices resulting from the removal of a fuel subsidy.

CGTN

Terrorism Has Left Profound and Painful Mark on Nigeria - Ribadu

National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday, said terrorism had left a profound and painful mark on Nigeria, Africa, and many other parts of the world.

Ribadu called for global collaboration with Nigeria in the battle to end insecurity in the country.

The NSA spoke at the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, and memorial for victims of the August 26, 2011 terror attack at the United Nations House in Abuja.

The bitter event came as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, yesterday, commissioned multiple projects at Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, Aguyi Ironsi Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja. And United States said it was working with Nigeria and other African countries to address drivers of instability on the continent to avoid its degeneration.

Ribadu, who was represented at the memorial by National Coordinator of National Counter-Terrorism Centre. Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, said no country could fight terrorism alone. He said the fight required a concerted global effort.

He stated, “For us in Nigeria, we have experienced the devastation of countless terror attacks that have claimed lives, destroyed properties, torn families apart, and displaced millions from their homes.

“The scars of terrorism are deeply etched, from the North-east to the heart of our capital, Abuja. We remember, in particular, the horrific bombing of the United Nations House on 26 August 2011, a senseless act of violence that claimed the lives of 23 individuals and injured over 60 others.

“These were people who had dedicated their lives to peace, development, and the betterment of humanity, yet they became victims of the very menace they sought to combat. I, therefore, wish to commemorate these heroes and their families on this sad event.

“In this solemn moment, we remember the countless victims of terrorism, violence and conflict around the world.

Ribadu also paid tribute to the security agencies leading the war on terror.

He said, “I also wish to pay tribute to the brave men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

“Many have laid down their lives so that we may continue to live in peace. Let us also remember the victims, who have been injured or traumatised in the line of duty. Their dedication and commitment to preserving our freedom and securing our nation is nothing short of heroic.

“In the face of this adversity, the strength and resilience of those affected by terrorism stand as a testament to the human spirit. Despite the loss and trauma, survivors continue to show remarkable courage.

“As we mark the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, it is our collective responsibility to support and uplift them.

“We, therefore, must ensure that their voices are heard, their needs are met, and their rights are safeguarded. I am pleased to state that this commitment is at the core of the Office of the National Security Adviser’s mission, which drives our dedication to serve.”

The NSA commended the efforts of the UN agencies involved in the fight against terrorism, including United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, and partners in the antiterrorism was for their dedication and support.

He extolled their invaluable cooperation, “especially in our ongoing efforts to address the needs of terrorism victims and strengthen our counter-terrorism measures.

“This collaborative spirit reinforces the belief that the fight against terrorism is not one that any nation can undertake alone, it requires concerted global effort.”

Army Chief Inaugurates Multiple Projects at Guards Brigade.

Lagbaja said at the inauguration of the projects that the remodelled Quarter Guard, ultra-modern lecture auditorium, and accommodation for both officers and soldiers of the Brigade’s Quick Response Force were a testament to the commitment of the commander’s leadership qualities.

He said the facilities would afford troops the opportunity to cool-off while off duty so as to perform optimally whenever the need arose.

He enjoined the Brigade officers and troops to ensure good maintenance of the facilities.

A statement by Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, Captain Godfrey Abakpa, said the Commander, Guards Brigade, Brig Gen Adebisi Onasanya, said all the projects were geared towards enhancing troops fighting efficiency and welfare.

Onasanya stated that provision of the amenities was in line with the COAS’ Command Philosophy, which was “to transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained, equipped and highly motivated force towards achieving our constitutional responsibilities within a joint Environment”.

In his vote of thanks, the Brigade’s Chief of Staff, Col Abdulrahaman Bello, thanked the COAS for his unrelenting commitment to Guards Brigade.

Bello stated, “These projects include the remodeled ultra-modern equipped auditorium named after the Chief of Army Staff, the stand-by accommodation for Quick Response Force capable of housing over 250 personnel, five officers’ accommodation, as well as the newly remodeled Brigade’s horses stable”

The inauguration ceremony was witnessed by Principal Staff Officers from Army Headquarters, Commanding Officers of various units under Guards Brigade, Staff Officers, as well as troops under the command.

US Department of State: We’re Working with Nigeria, Others to Ward Off Instability

The United States, yesterday, said it was working with Nigeria and other African countries to address drivers of instability on the continent.

Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS) at the U. S. Department of State, Mallory Stewart, made the assertion in Abuja when she addressed the press.

Stewart stated, “I’ve heard a lot, and I’ve seen through the news the banditry challenge and the experiences, and so we have been trying to appreciate and understand how to affect those things we call drivers of instability, drivers of a security environment that lends itself to these challenges.

“And we are working with partners in Nigeria to try to get ahead of some of those challenges, or trying to figure out how we can manage some of those challenges.

“For example, the confidence-building measures, or the capacity to show greater compliance with international treaties could help domestically provide for legislation that prevents some of the insecurity that results when there isn’t an ability to implement the international legal regime.

“We are trying to prevent greater instability and trying to address the drivers right now. You know, one of the interesting conversations we’ve had in other African countries has been talking about the challenges of resources, the herders versus farmers conversation, on how we manage confidence-building measures to ensure access is allowed for the important resources, such as water in some of these communities, and it’s been really helpful to work on communication capacities, to work on, even sometimes, information exchanges that provide greater understanding and prevent some of the tensions that lead to that instability.

“So you know, to give you more specifics, coming here has been helpful to understand how many challenges these communities are facing across the board. Just as the global community is facing inflation challenges after COVID-19.

“This is very real, and so appreciating how we can incorporate, hopefully, some confidence security building measures, some mechanisms to hear more information and to allow greater exchange of information to, hopefully, get ahead of that tension.”

Stewart disclosed that she had met with some operators in the Nigerian security sector and the civil society movement.

She added, “Our bureau is here to focus on hearing the Nigerian voice, hearing the concerns and the elements that we can work together on to support stability and security across the board.

“Our bureau utilises the toolkits of confidence-building measures, but also security mechanisms together to try to achieve greater stability. And we do this with our partners around the world.

“Some of the important conversations we were able to talk about was how we can work to hear the Nigerian interest in a political declaration that the US government has been working with right now 55 other countries, hopefully, more, including some African nations, to agree upon the responsible uses of AI in the military context, right to sort of make sure we can get these 10 principles using AI in a manner consistent with international law, recognising inherent human bias, recognising that AI systems upon AI systems can lead sometimes to greater risks.

“It really is a good encapsulation of what we do in our Bureau, which is maximising the advantages of stability and security mechanisms and minimising some of the risks that can sometimes be inherent in emerging technologies or in challenges in implementing even treaties.”

Stewart added, “One of the other conversations we had was our upcoming partnership with the Nigerian government to lead a conversation for the region on the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and understanding the challenges in that context, so that you know the Nigerian voice in explaining sometimes the concerns concerning non-state actors in chemical security, how they can be important in the region, and how as a region, if ECOWAS member states, can also work towards implementing some of these international conventions, it can be more stabilising, so that was another conversation we had.

“We also talked about where we can contribute to what is already a very complicated and sophisticated group of participants in the Yaounde architecture and understanding, if we can provide any additional capacities in communication, enabling or better standard operating procedures for all the diverse players, working through an appreciation for Nigeria’s role in that working through an appreciation for the maritime centres that are based here to see if we can facilitate a better appreciation of more effective teamwork, in a sense, on all of the issues that everyone is coming at from different perspectives. So these were some of the conversations we had.”

Tinubu: We’re Taking Steps to Secure Nation, Counter Desperate Acts of Terrorism

Meanwhile President Bola Tinubu yesterday declared that his administration was taking very firm steps to adequately secure the Nigerian nation against the desperate act of terrorism.

Reacting to the assassination of the District Head of Gatawa District in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Alhaji Isa Bawa, the president , in a release issued by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, assured Nigerians that his administration is aggressively removing threats to ensure the security of the nation and that these desperate acts of terror will be effectively countered.

Tinubu, who strongly condemned the tragic circumstances leading to the passing of Bawa described the attack on the traditional ruler as deeply disturbing and a heinous act that will not go without a decisive response.

He extended his condolences to the bereaved family, the Gobir Emirate, and the government of Sokoto State and prayed for the repose of the soul of the traditional ruler.

This Day

Related story: Nigerian fishing community on edge after jihadists threaten attack

Nigerian fishing community on edge after jihadists threaten attack

Nigerian fisherman Modu Umar has hardly slept for two weeks, torn between staying in his Baga community or fleeing after Islamist militants warned residents to leave their homes or face an attack.

Umar, a 33-year-old father of three, has known no life but fishing in nearby Lake Chad and selling his catch in the four countries around it. Now, like hundreds of other residents, he is anxious about his future.

Five Baga residents said fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province(ISWAP), a Boko Haram offshoot, attacked the community on May 27, killing 15 people and abducting many more.

Days later, the group issued a 14-day eviction notice that has rippled through Baga, which in the past has witnessed battles between the multinational forces of Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger, and jihadists.
"We are in a difficult situation and helpless," Umar told Reuters by phone. "Ever since the notice, I have been constantly worried and in fear."

Many residents have already left, although an estimate was unavailable.

President Bola Tinubu came to power last year promising to end widespread insecurity, which includes the Boko Haram insurgency that started in 2009.

Baga is part of Kukawa, one of the 27 local government areas in Borno state, the heart of the insurgency.
The town is headquarters to a brigade of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). But that offers little relief for residents.

In January 2015, Boko Haram carried out a series of raids on Baga, overran the MNJTF headquarters and killed dozens of people.

Defense spokesperson Major General Edward Buba told Reuters the military had put in place "measures to ensure the people are protected from acts of terror of the terrorists."

Modu Massah Baga, 39, provides for his two wives and eight children from fishing. He is worried he may have to give up his means of support.

"How can you just leave where you have a source of livelihood and go to where you don't know? It is disheartening to us because many are afraid and worried," he said. "This is the only place we work to feed our families."

Baga has also seen intra-jihadist fighting between ISWAP and Jama'tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (JAS), another Boko Haram remnant that since last year has been seizing islands in Lake Chad previously controlled by ISWAP, security experts say.

This fighting could have triggered the eviction notice, the experts added.

"ISWAP is sometimes more aggressive towards civilians in the Lake Chad communities when it is facing setbacks because it has to resort to terrorizing communities in order to deter them from working with either the military or a rival faction," said James Barnett, a Hudson Institute research fellow who has written extensively on the insurgency. 

By Ope Adetayo, Reuters

Related story: Nigeria gunmen kill at least 25 in village raid, officials say

Nigeria gunmen kill at least 25 in village raid, officials say

At least 25 people have been killed and others abducted by gunmen in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina state, authorities say.

Dozens of gunmen on motorbikes stormed Yargoje in Kankara late on Sunday, the state commissioner for security affairs, Nasiru Babangida Mu'azu, told BBC Hausa.

Attacks by armed gangs - referred to locally as bandits - in north-west and central Nigeria have become almost routine, with authorities seemingly powerless to stop them, despite claims by the government and security forces that they are working to end the widespread insecurity.

Residents told the BBC that dozens of gunmen on motorbikes rode into the community, shooting indiscriminately and looting shops before abducting an unspecified number of villagers.

“The people killed by bandits are more than 50, because some dead bodies are still being recovered from the bush," said a resident, who did not want to be named.

"They killed children, women and men, and kidnapped a huge amount of people. They injured more than 30 residents who are currently receiving treatment at the general hospital."

Another resident, Abdullahi Yunusa Kankara, told Reuters that he narrowly escaped the onslaught, which he said continued into the early hours of Monday.

“Our town has turned into a death zone. Almost every house in the village has fallen victim to this attack. More dead bodies were recovered this [Monday] morning," he said.

Surviving residents are trying to ascertain how many people have been abducted.

In December 2020, more than 300 pupils were kidnapped from a boys' secondary boarding school on the outskirts of Kankara by a gang of gunmen on motorcycles. They were later freed, a week after the Katsina state government confirmed they were in talks with the kidnappers.

In March this year, dozens of passengers were kidnapped in a broad daylight attack also in the same area of Katsina, the state where former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari hails from.

By Chris Ewokor, BBC

Related story: At least 40 villagers shot dead in Nigeria

Video - Over 350 abductees rescued in Nigeria’s Borno state

Some of those rescued were kidnapped 10 years ago. Most of the victims were women and children.

CGTN

Related story: 386 civilians rescued from Sambisa forest in Nigeria 10 years after abduction

 

At least 40 villagers shot dead in Nigeria

Armed men attacked remote villages in northcentral Nigeria, killing at least a dozen villagers during a late-night raid, authorities said Tuesday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack which follows a similar pattern to yearslong violence in the region blamed on the fight for control over water and land between nomadic herders and rural farmers. These raids have so far killed hundreds in the region.

The local Punch newspaper cited witnesses as saying at least 40 people were killed in Plateau’s Wase district on Monday night. However, government officials told The Associated Press only 12 casualties have so far been confirmed.

It is common for official figures to be less than that of witness accounts in such attacks.

The attackers opened fire on villagers in Wase’s Zurak community, forcing many to flee into nearby bushes, Musa Ashoms, the state commissioner for information said. “We are trying to comb the area to see whether we have more casualties or people with bullet wounds,” he added.

The motorcycle-riding gunmen attacked the village following a security operation that targeted their hideouts and aimed to “wipe” them out of the area, Idris Wase, a federal legislator from Plateau’s Wase district said.

Locals have repeatedly expressed concern over how the assailants can attack villages for hours and escape before security forces arrive on the scene.

Arrests following such attacks are rare.

In December, assailants killed at least 140 residents during an attack that targeted more than a dozen communities over two days.

By Chinedu Asadu, AP 

Related story: Video - Gunmen abduct over 100 people in Zamfara state, Nigeria

 

Police rescue kidnap victims in Abuja

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said its operatives on Sunday foiled a kidnap attempt and rescued victims in Dawaki area of Abuja.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, Josephine Adeh, a superintendent of police, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Ms Adeh said that the kidnap attempt was foiled following an immediate and strategic response to a distress call on the attack by unknown gunmen in Dawaki on 19 May.


She said the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Benneth Igweh, led the operatives that swiftly mobilised to the scene to foil the kidnap attempt.

“Displaying remarkable bravery and coordination, the police, in synergy with local hunters, advanced on the assailants, tactically ambushed them at Ushafa Hill via Bwari and Shishipe Hills via Mpape.

“This led to a fierce gun duel where the hoodlums were overwhelmed by the firepower of the operatives, and this forced them to scamper to safety with various degrees of bullet injuries and the victims were rescued,” she said.

Ms Adeh added that one of the rescued victims was currently in the hospital receiving medical attention.

The FCT Police command spokesperson said that the CP had reaffirmed the command’s steadfast dedication to maintaining peace and security in the FCT.

She also said that search operations were ongoing to rescue other hostages who fled the scene during the shootout.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Dawaki Rock Heaven Community, Tunde Abdulrahim, said the incident happened at about 7: 30 p.m. on Sunday.

Mr Abdulrahim said that the heavily armed bandits numbering about 50, consisting of men and women invaded the community and broke into about six houses.

He also said that about 20 people were abducted by the kidnappers.

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Related story: 386 civilians rescued from Sambisa forest in Nigeria 10 years after abduction

Worshippers locked in Nigeria mosque and set on fire

At least 11 worshippers have been killed and dozens others injured after a man attacked a mosque in Nigeria's northern Kano state, police say.

A man allegedly sprayed the mosque with petrol and locked its doors before setting it on fire, trapping about 40 worshippers, they said.

The attack was triggered by a family dispute over the sharing of inheritance.

Police say they have arrested a 38-year-old suspect.

The incident happened when people were attending morning prayers on Wednesday in Gezawa area of Kano state.

Residents said flames engulfed the mosque after the attack with worshippers heard wailing as they struggled to open the locked doors.

After hearing the explosion, neighbours rushed to help those trapped inside, local media reported.

Rescue teams including bomb experts from Kano were immediately deployed in response to the attack, a police statement said.

Police later confirmed that a bomb was not used in the attack.

The Fire Service in Kano said they were not called immediately the fire started, adding that they could have brought the situation under control much faster.

Kano Fire Service spokesman Saminu Yusuf told the BBC that they got reports of the incident after locals had put out the fire.

“In a situation like this, people are supposed to call us but we didn't get any call from the location until after normalcy had returned,” Mr Yusuf added.

Police said the suspect confessed that his actions were part of a dispute over inheritance, claiming he was targeting some family members who were inside the mosque.

“What happened is not associated with any act of terrorism, rather it was a skirmish that arose as a result of inheritance distribution," Umar Sanda, a local police chief, told journalists after visiting the scene.

"It is really unfortunate,” Mr Sandahe added.

“The suspect is presently with us and is giving out useful information."

Initial reports said one worshipper had died from the attack but the death toll later rose after more victims died while receiving treatment at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano.

More victims, including children, are still receiving treatment at the hospital, according to police.

By Wycliffe Muia & Mansur Abubakar, BBC