US to step up coordination with Nigeria to pursue Islamic State group militants

The US military is increasing materiel deliveries and intelligence sharing with Nigeria, Africom's deputy commander said, as part of a broader American push to work with African militaries to go after Islamic State group-linked militants.

The Pentagon has also kept open lines of communication with militaries in the junta-led Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, Lieutenant General John Brennan said.

The increased cooperation with Abuja follows Washington's diplomatic pressure on Nigeria over jihadist violence in the country, but also as the US military is becoming "more aggressive" in pursuing IS group-linked targets on the continent.

Under the Trump administration, "we've gotten a lot more aggressive and (are) working with partners to target, kinetically, the threats, mainly ISIS," Brennan said in an interview on the sidelines of a US-Nigeria security meeting in the Nigerian capital last week.

"From Somalia to Nigeria, the problem set is connected. So we're trying to take it apart and then provide partners with the information they need," he added.

"It's been about more enabling partners and then providing them equipment and capabilities with less restrictions so that they can be more successful."

Last week's inaugural US-Nigeria Joint Working Group meeting came roughly a month after the US announced surprise Christmas Day strikes on IS group-linked targets in northwest Nigeria.

Diplomatic clash

Though both militaries seem keen on increased cooperation after the joint strikes, hanging over it all is diplomatic pressure by Washington over what Trump claims is the mass killing of Christians in Nigeria.

Abuja and independent analysts reject that framing of Nigeria's myriad, overlapping conflicts, which has long been used by the US religious right.

Charged politics were on display at the Joint Working Group meeting in Abuja, where Allison Hooker, the number three at the State Department, pushed the Nigerian government "to protect Christians" in a speech that did not mention Muslim victims of armed groups.

Africa's most populous country is roughly evenly split between a mostly Muslim north and mostly Christian south. Though millions live peacefully side by side, religious and ethnic identity remains a sensitive topic in a country that has seen sectarian violence throughout its history.

Brennan said that US intelligence would not be limited to protecting Christians.

He also said that following the US strikes in northwestern Sokoto state, American support going forward would focus on intelligence sharing to aid Nigerian air strikes there, as well as the northeast, where a jihadist insurgency by Boko Haram and rival breakaway ISWAP has raged since 2009.

Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is "our most concerning group", he said.

Analysts have been tracking US intelligence flights over the country in recent months, though some have questioned whether air support alone can push back armed groups that thrive amid widespread poverty and state collapse in rural areas.

'Still collaborate' with AES militaries

US-Nigerian cooperation going forward will involve "the whole gamut of intel sharing, sharing... tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as enabling them to procure more equipment," Brennan said.

The initial strikes targeted militants linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province group, typically active in neighbouring Niger, Brennan said.

Analysts have voiced concerns about ISSP's spread from the Sahel into coastal west African countries like Nigeria.

The impact of those strikes so far has been unclear, however, with local and international journalists unable to confirm militant casualties.

Asked about their effectiveness, Nigerian information minister Mohammed Idris said last week it was "still a work in progress".

In the Sahel more widely, Brennan said "we still collaborate" with the junta-led governments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which have broken away from their west African neighbours and largely shunned the West.

Security cooperation has been curtailed since coups toppled civilian governments across the three countries from 2020 to 2023.

"We have actually shared information with some of them to attack key terrorist targets," he said. "We still talk to our military partners across the Sahelian states, even though it's not official."

Brennan also said the US is not seeking to replace its bases in Niger after its troops were pushed out by the ruling junta.

"We're not in the market to create a drone base anywhere," he said, referencing the shuttered US drone operations in Agadez.

"We are much more focused on getting capability to the right place at the right time and then leaving. We don't seek long-term basing in any of the western African countries."

France 24

Nigerian troops free 62 hostages, kill two militants in northwest operations

MADUGURI, Nigeria, Jan 21 - Nigerian troops have rescued 62 hostages and killed two militants in separate operations across Kebbi and Zamfara states as part of an ongoing offensive against armed groups in the northwest, the army said on Wednesday.

The northwest has been hit by a surge in mass kidnappings carried out by armed gangs operating from forest hideouts. These groups have attacked villages, schools and places of worship, including the January 18 abduction of more than 160 worshippers from two churches in Kaduna.

Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba said troops stormed a known bandit hideout in Zamfara after receiving reports that captives were being held there.

The army said all 62 hostages were rescued and are in safe custody, with efforts underway to reunite them with their families.

In a separate operation, troops ambushed Lakurawa militants near the border between Kebbi’s Augie district and neighbouring Sokoto after receiving intelligence on the group’s movements, Osoba said.

Nigeria has come under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused the country of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants operating in the northwest.

U.S. forces launched strikes against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day. The Nigerian government denies any systematic persecution of Christians, saying it is targeting Islamist fighters and other armed groups that attack both Christian and Muslim civilians.

The army added that the operations form part of broader efforts to dismantle armed networks responsible for widespread kidnappings and insecurity across the region.

By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters

Nigeria police deny reports of mass church abductions in north

Police in northern Nigeria say reports that worshippers were abducted on Sunday from churches in Kaduna state were false.

In a joint statement with local government officials on Monday, Kaduna state police commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu described the information as "mere falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos".

Earlier, a local official in Kurmin Wali had told the BBC that gunmen had kidnapped dozens of people attending different churches.

There has been a series of mass kidnapping in Nigeria, where both Christians and Muslims have been targeted. Gangs frequently carry out such attacks to get ransom payments.


But referring to Sunday's alleged abductions Kaduna's police commissioner challenged "anyone to list the names of the kidnapped victims and other particulars".

The chairman of Kajuru local government area, Dauda Madaki, said security forces were sent to Kurmin Wali after reports of an attack, but found "no evidence of the attack. I asked the village head, Mai Dan Zaria, and he said that there was no such attack."

Police also quoted the state's commissioner for internal security and home affairs saying religious leaders visited the area.

''They found out that what was pushed out to the public sphere was completely false,'' he reportedly said.

However, a community leader in Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan'azumi Sarkin, had earlier told the BBC that armed men attacked the area on Sunday and kidnapped 177 people from three churches.

He said 11 people escaped, several others were injured, and no deaths were reported.


In November, more than 300 students and teachers were seized from a Catholic school. They were later released in two successive groups. It was among a spate of kidnappings that made international headlines.

Nigeria is facing numerous security challenges - including kidnappings for ransom by criminal gangs, an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, separatist violence in the south-east, and a battle between herders and farmers in the centre over access to land and water.

Experts say corruption, poor intelligence sharing and underfunded local policing have hampered efforts to tackle the various crises.

Nigeria's defence minister resigned last month at the height of the kidnapping crisis, officially for health reasons, according to the president's office.

The US has recently become militarily involved in Nigeria - launching airstrikes on Christmas Day on two camps run by an Islamist militant group in north-western Nigeria.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump warned of more strikes if Christians continued to be killed in the West African nation.

There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, which is roughly divided into a mainly Muslim north, a largely Christian south, with intermingling in the middle - and the government says people of all faiths have been victims of attacks.

A Nigerian foreign ministry spokesman responded to Trump's warning by saying that Nigeria would continue to engage constructively with partners such as the US.

''Nigeria remains committed to protecting all citizens, Christians and Muslims alike, without discrimination,'' Alkasim Abdulkadir said.

By Makuochi Okafor, BBC

Nigeria boosts school security amid rising kidnapping threats

As students return for a new term, Nigeria is enhancing security at schools nationwide due to increasing threats of armed attacks and kidnappings for ransom, particularly in the north, where abductions and government-led rescues have become more frequent.

CGTN Africa

US tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale invests $11.8m in Nigerian drone firm to tackle Africa’s insecurity

US tech billionaire and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale has led a $11.8 million investment round in Nigerian drone manufacturer Terra Industries, signalling growing international interest in Africa’s defence technology sector.

The funding round, announced on Monday, January 12, 2026, was led by Lonsdale’s venture firm 8VC, with Alex Moore, a defence-focused partner at 8VC and Palantir non-executive director, joining Terra’s board last year.

Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku, 22, and Maxwell Maduka, 24, the Abuja-based startup designs and manufactures long and mid-range drones, autonomous sentry towers, and uncrewed ground vehicles.

Terra provides security solutions for infrastructure assets across Africa valued at approximately $11 billion, including hydropower facilities in Nigeria and gold and lithium mining operations in Ghana.

“Africa is industrialising faster than any other region, with new mines, refineries and power plants emerging every month,” said Nwachuku.

“But none of that progress will matter if we don’t solve the continent’s greatest Achilles’ heel, which is insecurity and terrorism.”

The investment comes amid rising threats from extremist groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaeda, which are increasingly active across West Africa.

The Economic Community of West African States has declared a regional state of emergency in response to escalating insecurity.

Terra said the funds will be used to expand manufacturing capacity and accelerate its cross-border security and counter-terrorism operations.

The round also attracted global investors, including Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, Leblon Capital, Silent Ventures LLC, Nova Global, and angel investors such as Meyer Malka, managing partner at Ribbit Capital, known for backing fintech firms like Revolut and Credit Karma.

Terra Industries emphasises homegrown innovation, with the majority of its engineering team based in Africa, designing, building, and producing all systems on the continent.

The move positions the company at the intersection of African technological ingenuity and the urgent security demands facing the region.

By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa

Nigeria to use intel from US flights to aid strikes on Islamic State, government says

Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said last month that the US strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between the two nations.

The Nigerian air force will reportedly take the lead from the US after Washington's strikes against militants of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in northwest Nigeria last month.

A Nigerian official told the AFP news agency on Tuesday that the country's fighter jets woulds use intelligence gathered from US reconnaissance flights to aid their own air strikes as part of a new security arrangement with Washington.

However, Nigeria remains open to further US strikes like the ones on Christmas Day, according to the official.

US President Donald Trump announced on 26 December that the US had carried out "powerful and deadly" strikes against IS gunmen in Nigeria's Sokoto state.

Trump said that "terrorist scum" targeted in the strikes were "viciously targeting and killing mostly innocent Christians". The number of casualties is unclear, although Nigerian and US officials said that militants were killed in the strikes.

Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said last month that the US strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between the two nations.

Despite Trump's comments about Christian victims of violence, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said the attacks had "nothing to do with a particular religion."

This echoed comments by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who said that security challenges affect people "irrespective of religions and regions."

Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria's security crisis affects both Christians, who are predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.

The armed groups operating in Nigeria include at least two organisations linked to IS: the Islamic State of West Africa — an offshoot of Boko Haram that operates mainly in the northeast — and the lesser-known Islamic State's Shahel Province (ISSP) — known locally as Lakurawa — with a strong presence in the northwest.

Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa have wreaked havoc in northeastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people, yet most of them were Muslims, according to ACLED, a group that analyses political violence.

In November, Trump ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria to try and curb what he called Christian persecution.

The US president previously designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" due to the "existential threat" it poses to its Christian population.

This designation allows for US sanctions against countries "engaged in serious violations of religious freedom."

EuroNews

Video - Nigerians react to surprise US strikes on militants

Many Nigerians have welcomed the US-Nigeria strikes on militants as a boost to long-running counterterrorism efforts, even as concerns persist over possible collateral damage.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria boosts security as 130 kidnap victims freed

The governor of Nigeria's Niger state held a ceremony on Monday to welcome back 130 kidnapped children and teachers released after a month in captivity.

Their kidnapping from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state's Papiri community was one of the worst mass abductions in Nigeria’s history. No one has claimed responsibility but local residents blame armed groups looking for ransoms.

School kidnappings have come to define insecurity in Africa’s most populous country. Now authorities say they are stepping security.

"We are implementing immediate short-term protective measures in high-risk areas, while concurrently working with state governments, traditional and religious leaders, to develop lasting community-based security solutions for education," Adamu Laka, a national coordinator with Nigeria's Counter-Terrorism Centre, said on Monday.

"It must not be a casualty to violence. We will continue to pursue policies and operations to restore confidence, reopen schools safely, and ensure that the right of every Nigerian child to learn in safety is upheld."

Officials ducked questions about whether ransoms were paid to secure their release.

"I don't think it's very fair to the system, to the government for you to ask whether money was used or not. Most important thing we have gotten these people back unhurt," Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago told reporters on Monday. "The other one is for us, not for you. So, I think the most important is that we have recovered missing children, and how we did it, we know it.”

Most of the kidnapped children were aged between 10 and 17, their school said. They’re scheduled to be reunited with their families before Christmas.

AP

Nigeria secures largest-ever military aircraft acquisition in West Africa with 24 M-346FA jets

Nigeria is advancing a major military modernisation initiative with a landmark procurement of 24 Italian-built M‑346FA fighter jets from Italian aerospace and defence firm Leonardo S.p.A., marking the largest single military aircraft acquisition in West African history.

The deal, valued at approximately €1.2 billion, includes long-term maintenance and support provisions through Leonardo and represents a strategic deepening of defence ties between Nigeria and the Italian manufacturer.

Business Inside Africa in an earlier publication, reported that Nigeria's cabinet approved a borrowing plan of $618 million from a consortium of financiers to purchase six Italian-made M-346 attack jets along with ammunition for the country's air force.

The first six jets are currently under production in Italy, with three expected to be delivered by early 2025 and full deliveries continuing through mid-2026.

This acquisition, alongside additional purchases of helicopters and support systems, is central to Nigeria’s effort to modernise and expand the Nigerian Air Force’s operational reach.

The timing of the procurement coincides with Nigeria’s persistent internal security crises. The country continues to grapple with a decade-long jihadist insurgency in the Northeast, widespread banditry in the Northwest, and complex communal violence across the Middle Belt.

These overlapping threats have strained governmental resources, displaced communities, and eroded investor confidence across West Africa.

The enhanced air combat, surveillance, and precision-strike capability offered by the M‑346FA fleet is designed to strengthen Abuja’s response to these entrenched security challenges.

Regional dynamics and Benin incursion

This military build-up is unfolding against a backdrop of increasingly volatile regional politics. Nigerian forces recently intervened in a coup attempt in neighbouring Benin, where mutinying soldiers briefly seized key installations in Cotonou.

Deployed at the request of Benin’s government, Nigerian air and ground units helped neutralise the threat and restore constitutional order, reinforcing the nation’s role as a security guarantor in West Africa.

The intervention, authorised by Nigeria’s Senate, highlights the country’s willingness to project force beyond its borders as coups and democratic backsliding spread across the Sahel and coastal West Africa.

Within this context, Nigeria’s shift towards sourcing military hardware from Italy reflects a broader recalibration of its defence procurement strategy.

Italian defence firms offer modern and reliable aircraft, armoured vehicles, and naval systems that are often more cost-effective than those of traditional suppliers.

The move also signals an effort to diversify away from heavy reliance on U.S., Russian, or Chinese equipment, reduce procurement delays, and deepen ties with European partners that provide technology transfer and long-term maintenance support.

As Nigeria inducts its new air combat platforms, the coming year is likely to be decisive for both its internal security posture and its standing as a leading regional security power.

By Soloman Ekanem, Business Insider Africa

Video - President Tinubu approves delegation for US security talks

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu approved a delegation in late November to meet with the United States on security cooperation and intelligence sharing. The talks follow US criticisms over alleged attacks on Christians in Nigeria, which the government has denied.

CGTN Africa

Security fears grow as bomb threat targets Nigerian lawmakers

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Internal Security, Garba Muhammad, on Tuesday, disclosed that the group received a bomb threat from a terrorist group.

He noted that the terrorists threatened to bomb the building of NASS, and as a result, called for increased security.

Speaking at an open session on a bill to set up the Legislative Security Directorate, the Chairman of NASS, as seen on Vanguard, claimed that the seat of Nigeria's democracy was increasingly facing serious security challenges, such as car and motorcycle theft, vandalism, fake identity cards, and infiltration by unregistered visitors.

What the National Assembly said

“We have received threats from terrorists to bomb the National Assembly complex and threats from protesters to lock up the National Assembly,” he stated.

“Legislators are exposed to threats from constituents and others who gain easy access into their offices without any formal appointment,” he added.

Continuing on the subject of safeguarding government officials, including senators, House of Representatives members, and other administrative workers, he stated, “It is obvious that with the ongoing security challenges, if proper measures are not taken, it will truncate the legislative activities in the National Assembly.”

He also noted that “If activities are thwarted, there will be no representation, no oversight, no annual budget, no plenary at all, and that will destabilise legislative procedure, democracy, and the stability of the system, and our nation at large.”

The legislator also called on state Houses of Assembly within the nation to follow suit to guarantee complete and extensive security across Nigeria.

“I also want to admonish our State Houses of Assembly to imbibe the same,” Muhammad added, wishing participants a “peaceful and fruitful hearing that will ultimately bring a turnaround in National Assembly security architecture.”

He pointed out that adopting the law would be a significant step in securing Nigeria's democratic institutions and urged everyone to be in support of it.

By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa

Nigerian army repels drone-backed insurgent attacks

Extremist insurgents launched simultaneous attacks in four districts of Northeastern Nigeria using armed drones and heavy firepower and torched a military barracks before being repelled by troops, a Nigerian army spokesperson said on Thursday.

Extremists carried out the attacks between midnight and 0300 GMT on three troop positions in Borno State and another in neighboring Yobe State.

“Some troops were wounded in action but are in stable condition. Vehicles and buildings were gutted by fire from the terrorists’ armed drones and RPG (rocket propelled grenades) fire, especially in Mafa and Dikwa where the defenses were momentarily breached,” said Sani Uba, spokesperson for the Nigerian military’s counterinsurgency operation.

Nigerian troops killed 50 of the attackers and recovered ammunition, he added.

Nigeria has grappled for over 15 years with the insurgency, which has led to the death of tens of thousands and displaced more than 2 million people, humanitarian aid groups say.

Two security sources said the insurgents had tried to cut off reinforcements to troops but were forced to retreat after the military brought in fighter jets.

Four soldiers were killed and five wounded this month during an insurgent attack in Borno.

Insurgents have launched at least 333 attacks in Northeast Nigeria this year, compared to 375 in 2024, data compiled by conflict monitoring group ACLED showed.

The insurgency is part of widespread insecurity that continues to plague Africa’s most populous country, which is also dealing with attacks by armed gangs in the Northwest and deadly farmer-herder clashes in the central belt.

Alaribya English

Video - Nigeria targets Boko Haram, 17 militants killed and dozens arrested in raids

Nigerian forces killed 17 militants and arrested 85 in anti-terror raids across Borno and Adamawa states. The operations also rescued 10 abductees and targeted Boko Haram informants, suppliers, and collaborators. The ongoing insurgency has killed over 40,000 and displaced 2 million people since the crisis began.

CGTN Africa

A court in Nigeria sentences a top militant leader to 15 years on terror charges

A court in Nigeria on Thursday sentenced a top militant leader of an al-Qaida-linked group on the country's most-wanted list to 15 years in prison for illegal mining and using the proceeds to fund terror attacks.

Mahmud Muhammad Usman, who headed the Ansaru group, had pleaded guilty to the charge of engaging in illegal mining to procure arms for his militant group. It was the first conviction on a total of 32 charges brought against him by the Nigerian government.

Usman will remain in the custody of the Nigerian secret police while his trial continues. The other charges mostly include other counts of terrorism and the handling of illegal arms.

Usman was arrested last month along with fellow militant leader Mahmud al-Nigeri in an operation involving several Nigerian law enforcement agencies.

Usman's group is accused of carrying out the 2022 attack on a prison in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, that saw nearly 900 inmates escape, including dozens of Ansaru members. The group is also said to have been behind the attack on Niger's uranium facility in 2013.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, faces multiple security threats with dozens of armed groups taking advantage of the limited security presence in the rural communities to carry out attacks on villages and along major roads.

Despite military assaults on the groups, they have continued to expand their operations and carry out routine attacks. This year, Boko Haram has mounted a major resurgence.

The United States recently approved a potential $346 million weapons sale to the country that authorities have said will boost the fight against insecurity.

By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP

Nigerian air force pushes back jihadists on Cameroonian border

In a statement, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it had re-established communication with the ground troops that had been under threat by the jihadists.

The strike on four targets in the Kumshe area in Borno State had "intensified efforts" to dominate the battle field and "deny terrorists freedom of action", said NAF spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame.
Insurgent resurgence

The Nigerian military has been fighting a resurgence of attacks from jihadist groups Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) since the beginning of the year in the northeast, which neighbours Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Both ISWAP and Boko Haram have taken over military bases, killing soldiers and seizing weapons.

The army, which says it is battling not just jihadist militants but also armed gangs in the northwest, known as "bandits", last week said it had killed 592 militia members in eight months, since the start of the year, surpassing operational gains made in 2024.
US could supply arms

Last week the United States State Department approved the sale to Nigeria of $346 million (€291 million) in weapons, including bombs, rockets and munitions.

The Nigerian army said the weapons - whose sale is subject to Congressional approval - would "improve Nigeria's capability to meet current and future threats through operations against terrorist organisations".

Civilians have been caught in the crossfire of the insurgency, which has left more than 40,000 people dead and forced more than two million to flee their homes, according to the UN.
Hostages held by 'bandits' freed

Nigeria’s air force also helped to rescued at least 76 people kidnapped by bandits, including women and children, in northwestern Katsina state, according to local authorities.

The rescue on Saturday followed a precision air strike by the air force at Pauwa Hill as part of a manhunt for a bandit known as Babaro who has been linked to a mosque attack last week in a nearby town that killed 50 people.

One child captive died in the rescue operation.

Mass kidnappings for ransom are common in Nigeria's northwest and central states, where armed gangs often target remote villages, stealing cattle and abducting residents, and leaving residents unable to farm and feed themselves.

The militias are motivated by financial gain, and have no ideological leanings, but officials and analysts have expressed concern over growing pragmatic alliances with jihadists from Nigeria's northeast.

rfi

Nigerian military rescues 76 kidnap victims held in 'bandit' camp

Nigeria's military rescued 76 people kidnapped by criminal gangs known as "bandits" in northwestern Katsina state, though one child captive died in the operation, local security authorities said.

The rescue took place on Saturday, with air force personnel raiding a site at Pauwa Hill, in the Kankara local government area, Katsina state internal security commissioner Nasir Mu'azu said in a statement.

The operation was staged following an air force strike in the hunt for a "notorious bandit kingpin" and his gang suspected to be behind an attack Tuesday on a mosque and on nearby villages that claimed 50 lives, said the statement.

Mu'azu said that the operation "successfully" rescued 76 kidnapped people, including women and children.

"However, it was regrettably noted that one child tragically lost his life during the ordeal," he said.

There was no information on the number of casualties among "bandits", as members of criminal gangs are locally known.

In some past cases, families of victims have disputed official claims of rescue and reported having to pay ransoms for the release of captives.

Mass kidnappings for ransom are common in Nigeria's northwest and central states, where heavily armed gangs often target remote villages to loot and abduct residents.

The gangs have turned cattle theft, kidnapping and imposing taxes on farmers into huge moneymakers across the impoverished countryside, where the government's presence has long been nearly non-existent.

Nigeria's banditry crisis originated in conflicts over land and water rights between herders and farmers, which has since morphed into organised crime.

The militias have no ideological leaning and are motivated by financial gain, but officials and analysts have expressed concern over growing pragmatic alliances with jihadists from Nigeria's northeast.

France 24

Video - Security experts applaud Nigeria’s arrest of high-profile Ansaru militants

Nigerian authorities captured two top leaders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-linked terror group accused of some of the country's deadliest attacks. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu called it a major breakthrough in the fight against insurgency and banditry. Security experts have welcomed the arrests, calling them a strong sign that Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts are gaining ground.

CGTN Africa

US approves potential $346 million weapons sale to Nigeria to bolster security

The U.S. State Department approved a possible $346 million weapons sale to Nigeria to help improve security in the sub-Saharan country, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

Congress was notified and would need to approve the sale, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. The agency is a division of the Department of Defense body that provides technical assistance and oversees transfers of defense equipment.

The weapons requested by Nigeria include munitions, bombs and rockets.

A resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown jihadist group, has shaken Nigeria’s northeast. The group took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose its radical version of Islamic law. In recent months, Islamic extremists have repeatedly overrun military outposts, mined roads with bombs and raided civilian communities, raising fears of a possible return to the peak insecurity of the Boko Haram era despite the military’s claims of success against them.

The conflict, which has spread into Nigeria’s northern neighbors, has claimed about 35,000 civilian lives and displaced more than 2 million people in the country’s northeastern region, according to the U.N.

Apart from the insurgency in the northeast, Africa’s most populous country also faces serious security challenges in the north-central and northwest regions, where hundreds have been killed and injured in recent months.

“The proposed sale will improve Nigeria’s capability to meet current and future threats through operations against terrorist organizations and to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea,” the Pentagon said Wednesday. “There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.”

In the past 10 years, Nigeria has bought military equipment from the U.S. on several occasions. Most recently, the U.S. approved a $997-million weapons sale in 2022.

By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP

Nigeria military kills scores of gang members in air and ground raids

The Nigerian air force has killed scores of gunmen, known locally as "bandits", who were members of criminal gangs operating in Zamfara state, the military has said.

The air force said in a statement on Monday that it carried out a raid in Makakkari forest, north-west Nigeria, which was the hideout of the gunmen who were believed to be behind some high-profile kidnappings in the area.

It said it conducted the operation after surveillance detected more than 400 gang members preparing to attack a village.

Over the past two weeks, armed gangs have targeted nearby settlements, killing scores and kidnapping many more. At least 13 security personnel have also been killed.

The aerial strikes, in coordination with attacks on the ground, led to the deaths of "several notorious bandit kingpins and scores of their foot soldiers," air force spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said.

He added that the ground forces intercepted and killed others trying to flee the forest.

In parts of Nigeria, kidnapping for ransom has become a lucrative business for some.

The bandits, motivated by financial gain, have also increased their cooperation with jihadist groups that have been waging a 16-year armed insurgency in the north-east.

In recent years, the military has launched a number of operations against the gangs, including last month when at least 95 gang members were killed - but the violence has persisted.

By Chris Ewokor, BBC

Video - Nigeria’s Army-Air Force partnership reshapes security landscape

Kabir Adamu, a national security policy and strategy specialist for Nigeria and the Sahel, credits a strengthened army-air force collaboration for progress in tackling banditry. He highlights how this partnership addresses root causes such as resource conflicts and weak governance, marking a shift in Nigeria’s approach to curbing insecurity in affected regions.

CGTN Africa