Security

(A tribute to Lt. Col. Abu Ali and the brave military and police officers who fell in Sambisa and anti-kidnapping operations)

By Nura Jibo

By now, everybody in Nigeria is in a state of serious confusion about insecurity. Everyone, including the poor and the rich, cries out because of the problems of Boko Haram and kidnappings, which are exacerbated by killings and the collection of huge ransoms. Nigerian citizens are deeply disturbed by the insecurity in the land, and no one is yet sure about a solution or who the people are that are sponsoring or backing it.

Fellow Nigerians, it is not the CIA that is destroying your country. It is not external or foreign influence that paves the way for the wanton Boko Haram and kidnapping killings from the beginning. It is not America, France, Germany, the World Bank, or the IMF that is destroying Nigeria. It is not Donald Trump, or Benjamin that are interested in breaking Nigeria apart.

There is no evidence or credible intelligence whatsoever that CIA agents shield or support Nigerian insurgents or kidnappers. Boko Haram and kidnappings are entirely fueled by internal corruption, institutional weaknesses, illicit financial flows within Nigeria, and deep-seated political rivalries.

Indeed, it is Nigerians who are living and dining among us that are causing the insurgency in Nigeria. The majority of them are influential and high-placed. They know themselves! Deep inside, they know that they are the ones mortgaging their future, the future of their children, parents, and grandparents for a token.

Unfortunately, whatever money they gain or make from Nigeria in dubious ways, they will ultimately end up not enjoying any part of it when the country becomes uninhabitable for everyone.

Fellow Nigerians, without mincing words, Nigeria’s insecurity, Boko Haram, killings, kidnappings, and other grotesque absurdities are generally caused by the following people:

Corrupt Politicians

Corrupt Military

Corrupt Police

Corrupt Customs

Corrupt Immigration

Corrupt Judiciary

Corrupt Traditional Rulers

Corrupt Religious Clerics (both Christian and Muslim moral police/preachers)

These are the people developing thick skins regarding the insecurity situation in Nigeria. They are, one way or another, profiting from Boko Haram, kidnapping, and mineral looting.

Dear Nigerians, do not look far for the people destroying our country. Those listed above are trading their sovereignty for selfish gain.

If anyone among these feels that he or she is corrupt militarily, politically, religiously, traditionally, or as a police officer, know that this exposition is directed toward you. However, if anyone feels the contrary, know that you are fully exonerated, because you are not corrupt and are considered someone serving your people for God and country.

Indeed, Nigerians should never forget their incorruptible military and police heroes of the past, such as the late Lt. Colonel Abu Ali and his comrades, who were fearless heroes of Sambisa and Nigeria’s bravest military officers. These rare military personalities commanded the 272 Task Force Tank Battalion and played a massive role in clearing out the Sambisa Forest and liberating major towns like Baga and Monguno from Boko Haram insurgents.

The Political Dimension of Boko Haram Violence

To support this analysis, it is beneficial to infer that the previous and even current crop of corrupt political and security forces is an accomplice in the business of destroying the country.

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan once said during a church service at a Christian centre in Abuja that Boko Haram had infiltrated his government and that they were everywhere. He openly admitted that his administration, security agencies, and branches of government had been deeply infiltrated by Boko Haram and insecurity.

Hear him: “Some of them are in the executive arm of government, some of them are in the parliamentary/legislative arm of government, while some of them are even in the judiciary. Some are also in the armed forces, the police, and other security agencies. During the civil war, we knew and could even predict where the enemy was coming from… But the situation we have on our hands today is even more complicated.”

Mr. Goodluck’s statement about Boko Haram was candidly affirmed by his national security adviser, Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, who corroborated the president’s position in April 2012 as follows:

“The issue of violence did not increase in Nigeria until there was a declaration by the current president that he was going to contest. The PDP got it wrong from the beginning. The party started by saying Mr. A can rule, and Mr. B cannot rule, according to PDP conventions, rules, and regulations and not according to the constitution. That created the climate for what is happening or manifesting itself in the country.”

With this kind of eyewitness account from a former Nigerian president, it shouldn’t take the current Nigerian president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, any time to candidly identify and deal with the people at the federal and state government levels and make them face the wrath of the law.

But one cardinal question here is: If Jonathan knew, inter alia, the people who were aiding all these insecurities during his time as Nigeria’s president, what stopped him from naming them, whether they were in the House of Assembly, the Senate, or the presidency? Are they senators, ministers, governors, representatives, judges, kings, emirs, or obas? Why was he afraid to name them as a sitting president?

And when he lost the presidency, why didn’t he advise his successor, for example, the late President Buhari, to deal with them without hesitation?

Now, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is aware of this Jonathan exposure; what is he waiting for to reveal who they are, and why are they hiding their names?

Are the presidents afraid of losing their political seats?

Mr. President,

Nigerians have no other country to live in if you allow Boko Haram and kidnapping sponsors to destroy the only country we have. The only country that we can call home.

Mr President, politics aside, are you okay and comfortable with seeing, under your watch, a Nigeria that was obtained by Zik, Awo, and Balewa by the hardest means from Britain being destroyed by a selfish, politically microscopic few individuals in our midst?

Who then is unpatriotic? Who then is unrealistic?

The Kidnapping Economy

It is no longer news that certain governors, particularly from the north, feel concerned about the issue of incessant banditry and have bared their minds on the massive killings and abductions in their states.

One of them, Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina, once said out of frustration that the fight against insecurity is systematically undermined from within. He often expressed his frustration on social media and in live interviews that whenever the state government plans to launch offensive strikes against bandit camps, the information is often leaked to the bandits within minutes. 

Dikko strongly asserted this position by overtly accusing high-ranking government officials and security personnel of actively supporting and profiting from banditry. What stops the current National Security Adviser, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, and the current Minister of Defence, who was Chief of Army Staff, from pursuing those high-ranking officials and dealing with them willy-nilly? One hasn’t the vaguest idea!

Indeed, Governor Dikko Radda never hides his stance; immediately after he assumed the role of Katsina governor, he said thus: “Banditry is aided and abetted” by rogue elements within the government, military, and law enforcement agencies who act as moles and saboteurs.

Hear Radda: “Bandits know our plans in minutes.”

He cited an example with a well-known notorious bandit kingpin named Mohammed, whose whereabouts were exactly known by the Nigerian security authorities.

Indeed, kidnapping for a huge ransom is now the order of the day in Northern Nigeria and, by extension, everywhere in the country. Courtesy of corrupt political leaders, corrupt military, corrupt police, corrupt religious leaders, and corrupt media houses that make their reporting on the matter a subject of mockery. This corrupt attitude in these elements has promoted and projected kidnapping as an extremely lucrative, multi-million-dollar criminal economy. Who then is unrealistic about blaming external forces for Nigerian insecurity woes when we have fantastically corrupt security agencies in our midst that a former National Security Adviser once exposed, and whose exposure cost him his job?

The reality is that kidnapping and ransom payment have now become a lucrative enterprise facilitated by syndicates that include corrupt security personnel, corrupt traditional leaders, and local informants who provide ‘intelligence’ information on high-value targets, while also allowing kidnappers to take away whole schoolchildren, as we witnessed in Chibok, Zamfara and Sokoto states and ad infinitum.

The Matawalle versus Lawal Feud

The current governor of Zamfara State, Nigeria, Dauda Lawal, openly accused his predecessor (former governor and current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle) of having a cosy tie and colluding with regional bandit -terrorists.

Governor Dauda’s sheer frustration with banditry made the Vanguard Newspaper in Nigeria sell its news headline on 11 June 2024 by quoting him as saying: “Police and military’s attitude to banditry is frustrating”. Not only this, the young governor stated thus:

“At a point, I had to really come and say it clearly because when we are trying to take care of the situation, somebody somewhere is negotiating with the bandits without my knowledge.”

He promised to end the banditry in his state within two months if given the political will to do so.

Hear Dauda: “I swear to Almighty Allah, wherever a bandit leader is in Zamfara, I know. And if he goes out, I know. With my mobile phone, I can show you where these bandits are today. But we cannot do anything beyond our powers.”

One cardinal question here is: Who is protecting the bandits at the Federal Government level? Who is protecting them from Abuja-the corridors of power? What is the duty of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and all his defence ministers? What are they waiting for to swing into action and deal with the corrupt military, corrupt police, and corrupt politicians in their midst?

When they allow these protectors to live and destroy Nigeria, would the National Security Adviser and all his security apparatchiks have a brand-new country to relocate to and live in?

These kinds of questions beg for answers from the National Security Adviser because Nigerians are seeing clearly and watching from not far away what is happening to its very promising citizens who are now left stranded without any hope.

The Sule Lamido “Rogue Governor” Double-Decker Challenge

It is this kind of double-decker challenge that former governor Sule Lamido once challenged the three governors of Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina by ridiculing their efforts against insecurity.

Hear Sule Lamido: “You are a governor in Katsina, Sokoto, or Zamfara, yet criminals have taken over your people… The rogue simply becomes the governor. “

That was Sule Lamido using Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina to make his point by portraying these states as primary examples of how the elite in the North have failed their people by allowing bandits and terrorists to invade homes, abduct citizens, and rule territories unchallenged.

Now let’s make it abundantly and categorically clear to these corrupt politicians (governors); corrupt military (former service chiefs who are retired and those who are serving); corrupt police (former inspectors general and those who are serving, including their states’ commissioners); corrupt traditional rulers (former emirs and obas and the ones who are on their thrones); and corrupt religious clerics (Muslim and Christian moral police) etc., that their actions and inactions, or rather karmic retribution, are threatening the unity and survival of the Nigerian state. This is a double-edged sword that will apparently consume everyone if they fail to heed the late-not early-warnings about the state of affairs in our dear country.

No one will be spared by this spate of insecurity.

The Paradox of Mineral Exploitation

According to Punch Newspaper, illegal mining-particularly for gold, lithium, and gemstones-has completely transformed states such as Zamfara into a highly lucrative war economy. This position is supported by Al-Jazeera investigative reports, where the entire gold-for-guns barter becomes the norm not only in Zamfara but across certain African states. It reveals a vicious cycle where bandits control the minefields, and in turn, barter raw gold for sophisticated firearms.

The Muslim-Christian Moral Police

The corruptible preaching of godliness by religious clerics has derailed many Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. For example, certain original Boko Haram leaders such as the late Mohammed Yusuf and late Shekau have misled many of their adherents because of their misconstrued version of Islam. Since the early 2000s, Northern Nigeria has been bleeding from Boko Haram, courtesy of the failure of its 19 northern governors to provide basic needs: food, education, healthcare, and genuine infrastructure to the people of the North. They deliberately harmed the region by refusing to eradicate the abject poverty that has become endemic and cancerous among their people.

Ditto for their southern counterparts!

In Southern Nigeria, the governors contributed to banditry and armed robbery, especially in the Niger Delta oil-endowed regions and in almost all South-South and South-Western states. This is because the money they receive from oil revenues is not judiciously used to provide succour to the people of the South.

Indeed, all these exacerbate a chain effect of insecurity everywhere in Nigeria.

Therefore, what each and every corrupt individual destroying Nigeria should ponder and reflect upon as they ruin the one and only country we have by mortgaging its future for a fee is a bitter lesson that has befallen certain African countries that are careless, resulting in their citizens being forced into exile and seeking asylum abroad.

The following examples suffice:

(A). The case of the current Malian military ruler, General Assimi Goïta, whose defence minister, General Sadio Camara, was assassinated in a suicide truck bombing at his residence via a coordinated attack by the Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM)-linked jihadist group JNIM and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Assimi ousted three Malian political leaders: President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (August 2020); Interim President Bah N’daw (May 2021); and Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maïga (November 2024). Now the Malian military ruler is facing the steepest opposition in Mali’s political and military history.

(B). The case of financial empires in Sudan and the gold looting between Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the chief of the regular Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), is deeply rooted in a battle for control over Sudan’s economy and national assets. The Hemedti empire controls huge private wealth in Darfur’s gold mines in Jebel Amir, while Al-Burhan’s army elites control vast agricultural lands, fuels, and manufacturing, all to the detriment of Sudanese citizens, who are now in mass exodus to neighbouring countries, including Qatar, Libya, Chad, Niger Republic, and Nigeria.

(C). The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which faces a critical survival crisis over mineral wealth, perfectly intersects with Nigeria’s Zamfara-Sokoto and Borno, building domestic political unrest. Indeed, the Nigerian military’s case of territorial and boundary loss to Boko Haram and its blood minerals completely parallels a similar security architecture in eastern DRC, which has unfortunately entered its most volatile state in decades, marked by heavy territory losses and a massive humanitarian collapse.

One can go on and on, but the corrupt Nigerian political elites, corrupt military and police forces, corrupt traditional rulers, and religious clerics must know and bear in mind that they have no other country than Nigeria, which they are driving to destruction under the so-called political, military, and religious tyranny and dictatorship. This is fueled by the failure of state governors to use the states’ resources and provide basic infrastructure, education, food, and above all, security. Instead, they resort to a blame game, promoting inequality and unequal opportunities, lacking consultation and relying on people loyal to them while discharging those with experience.

Their major interest lies in attempting to suppress, eliminate, or disregard the plight of others and violate basic human rights.

All these corrupt individuals excel in stealing public funds, engaging in policy partiality, and using security solely to manage and protect corrupt political leaders.

The Security Budget and the War Economy

 Indeed, the multi-billion-naira federal government defence budget and the security votes allocated to state governors have exacerbated the issue of insecurity in Nigeria rather than curtailing it. This is because governors and federal security agencies receive large, un-audited cash allocations in the name of security votes, which lack legislative oversight and breed systemic diversion. The protracted warfare paves the way for emergency contracts within the military and police, creating a closed loop of enrichment for defence contractors and corrupt officials.

A cursory look at the consequential repercussions of Nigeria’s corrupt system and its systemic decay is tabulated below:

OPERATIONAL LEVEL INSTITUTIONAL ACTION AND CONSEQUENCES

Stage 1: Federal Funding: Defence budget allocations: Funds flow downward.

Stage 2: Institutional Bottleneck: Corrupt military & police top brass: Funds are actively diverted to private luxury, systematically starving junior officers of funds and war equipment to fight insurgencies.

Stage 3: Frontline Deprivation: Ground soldiers and police officers face destructive field realities.

Stage 4: Systemic Failure: Low morale & desertion: Frontlines are abandoned. Equipment Deficit: Critical lack of ammunition and body armour. Internal sabotage: Tactical intelligence is leaked to terrorist networks.

The Political Architects of Chaos

The destruction of Nigeria does not begin in the forest hideouts of bandits or the remote camps of Boko Haram. It begins in the air-conditioned government offices of Abuja and the state capitals, particularly across the 19 northern governorships.

For decades, political elites have used insecurity as a lucrative business model and a tool for political survival.

It is, therefore, high time for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do away with all the political gladiators surrounding him (if he can) and champion a realistic cause to salvage the sovereignty of the one and only country that we can call home-Nigeria.

It is no longer news to every Nigerian that governors receive hundreds of millions of naira monthly in unaccounted “security votes.” This money is legally meant to fight crime but is routinely pocketed or used to fund political thuggery and private militias. The case of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s exposition, as asserted elsewhere, points to the serious calamity that infiltrated Nigeria’s political class, corrupt judiciary, corrupt military, corrupt police, and corrupt traditional rulers. By keeping their states unstable, these politicians create a permanent justification to demand more security funding from the federal purse, keeping the cycle of violence highly profitable for the ruling class. The recent Channels interview by one Samai’ila Kaigama on this kidnapping political business alluded to this fact.

Kaigama, in his attempt to unravel the truth about his village people’s kidnapping, indicted a sitting senator, Ndume, over their village’s recent kidnapping debacle.

Now it is left for the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa Gwabin, and the Presidency to dig deep into the issue and inform Nigerians about the reality of the two accusatory factions. Kaigama accused the lawmaker of acting as an intermediary for terrorists and diverting a multi-billion-naira ransom payment. The high-profile back-and-forth escalated during separate interviews broadcast on Channels and Arise Television stations.

Indeed, the political patronage of bandits and terrorists during election cycles leads politicians to arm local youths to intimidate rivals and rig votes. Once elections end, these armed actors are abandoned, morphing directly into the violent kidnap-for-ransom syndicates terrorising the highways.

Furthermore, instead of arresting known terrorist leaders, certain politicians actively negotiate with them, paying out massive “peace settlements” that are directly used by criminals to purchase heavier weaponry.

The Security Forces and Judiciary – Institutionalised Failures

Nigeria’s military and police leadership and the judiciary are no longer just failing to stop the crisis-they have become active stakeholders in its continuation. The Nigerian courts ‘ superiority complex and the operational failures of the security forces are a direct result of deliberate corruption at the top.

The Weaponisation of the Defence Budget

Billions of dollars allocated for state-of-the-art military hardware, drones, and tactical gear are not easily obtainable, as aired live and direct on Al-Jazeera in Qatar by the current Minister of Defence, who asserted this while he was the Chief of Army Staff.

This issue is indeed part of the problem, where frontline soldiers are left facing heavily armed insurgents with outdated weapons, inadequate ammunition, and zero body armour. This deliberately manufactured operational inferiority forces them into tactical retreats and leaves vast swathes of Nigerian territory completely ungoverned.

Tactical Leaks and Checkpoint Extortion

The operational integrity of the military and police is compromised from within. Highly classified military intelligence regarding troop movements is repeatedly leaked to Boko Haram and bandit networks by corrupt insiders, leading to deadly ambushes on Nigerian forces.

On the highways, instead of tracking down kidnap syndicates, the police force is heavily deployed to civilian checkpoints solely to extort ordinary citizens, leaving the surrounding forests entirely at the mercy and control of kidnappers.

The Economic Motive – Mineral and Resource Looting

 The terror inflicted by Boko Haram and kidnapping networks acts as a violent smokescreen designed to mask a massive, elite-driven illegal mining and resource looting syndicate in Zamfara, Sokoto, and, by extension, Nasarawa.

Indeed, Nigeria’s deep insecurity is structurally tied in parts to the illicit extraction of its massive mineral wealth. This can be illustrated as follows:

Corrupt elites protect Boko Haram, bandits, and kidnapping networks (terror).

The kidnappers displace local populations from illegal mining sites (rare earth, gold, lithium, etc.), which eventually clears land for illegal mining.

Clearing the Land via Terror

Vast rural communities in Northern and Central Nigeria sit directly on top of massive deposits of gold, lithium, tantalite, and other valuable rare earth minerals.

By allowing Boko Haram and bandits to unleash mass killings and kidnappings in these specific regions, local populations are completely displaced. The terror effectively clears the land of its rightful owners, transforming sovereign Nigerian communities into unregulated, lawless extraction zones.

The Elite-Traditional Ruler Cartel

Once the civilian populations are ethnically cleansed or driven into IDP camps, illegal mining cartels step in. These cartels operate with the direct protection of corrupt politicians and complicit traditional rulers.

While the nation bleeds from massacres, a criminal network of political elites and their corrupt collaborators is quietly carting away billions of dollars in untaxed mineral wealth and oil.

Hence, kidnapping in Nigeria is no longer an opportunistic crime; it is a highly sophisticated, institutionalised financial market designed to extort wealth from the middle class, the rich and poor alike.

The Banking System and Mobile Tracking Failures

Despite federal mandates forcing every Nigerian to link their National Identity Number (NIN) to their SIM cards, kidnappers still use mobile phones openly to negotiate multi-million-naira ransoms.

The police and regulatory agencies, most of the time and dubiously, fail to track these calls or freeze the bank accounts where ransom money is deposited. This indicates a deep-seated institutional complicity, where corrupt political and security actors take a direct cut of the ransom payouts in exchange for operational blindness, as asserted by Samai’ila Ibrahim Kaigama and others.

The Destruction of National Infrastructure

The deliberate failure to secure major highways, rail lines, and transit corridors forces citizens into a state of permanent vulnerability. The ransom economy has become so deeply embedded within the political and security architecture that wiping it out would mean cutting off a massive stream of illicit revenue that flows directly from the forests into the pockets of urban elites

The Policy Blueprint for Systemic Survival

To save Nigeria from total state collapse, the international community, domestic policymakers, and the Nigerian citizenry must move very fast by treating insecurity as not a purely military and police problem and/or business venture and attacking its financial roots and political drivers.

 The Solutions

 Mr. President should very quickly engage UAE authorities, especially in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, to send him the names of the Boko Haram sponsors that they claim to have. The same goes for the United States of America. President Donald John Trump should publish the names of the terror sponsors in Nigeria, as the US claims to have their names and is under its watch.

This will go a long way in exposing the vagaries, verbosity, and waffle that surround the protracted problem of Boko Haram and kidnapping in Nigeria.

Mr. President, it is quite unfortunate that Nigeria has to rely on foreign countries to release the names of certain criminals that sponsor insurgencies in the country.

This writer proposes a strategic counter- crisis matrix that could enable everyone in Nigeria to live peacefully, cheaply, and as satisfactorily as possible. This strategic counter-crisis matrix has the following target audience:

International policymakers, academic researchers, and Nigerian citizens. The immediate policy action required to ameliorate the protracted insurgencies in Nigeria is to impose targeted global sanctions on governors and audit supply chains for blood minerals such as lithium and coltan (columbite and tantalite), etc. There is also a need to map out resource-conflict correlations to enable the government to track illegal capital flight to and from Nigeria. The Nigerian citizens, on the other hand, should try as much as possible to vote out complicit northern governors by mobilising community-led political security accountability groups and refrain from supporting corrupt politicians who seek mandates and hide in Abuja until the next election.

The Nigerian president must find a way to sanction the political class by collaborating with international allies such as the US, UK, France, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, etc., to immediately freeze the foreign assets and impose strict travel bans on corrupt Nigerian governors, corrupt legislators (senators), corrupt military and police top brass, prominent, but morally bankrupt religious clerics, and traditional rulers linked to regions with unchecked illegal mining and persistent security failures.

The Nigerian president, whether old or new, should audit the mineral supply chain. The international technology and manufacturing industries must treat Nigeria’s rare earth minerals such as lithium, iron ore, coltan, and gold with the maximum level of scrutiny. Any mineral sourced from conflict-heavy zones in Nigeria must be blacklisted globally until legal transparency is restored.

Indeed, independent military, police, and judiciary accountability must be entrenched in Nigeria to flush out and sanitise the entire national system.

The administration of defence spending must be completely stripped from internal military control and placed under a rigorous, special, but emergency and independent military audit tribunal -not under the EFCC or ICPC.

Commanders whose units repeatedly leak intelligence or fail to protect citizens despite heavy funding must face immediate special national emergency court-martial and asset forfeiture.

If at all we are serious in nation building, Mr President should quickly call for an emergency constitutional committee and give them only one (1) month to include an immunity clause in the Nigerian constitution. Because the 1960 Nigerian Independence Constitution did not contain a domestic executive immunity clause for political leaders and executives. Indeed, the current Nigerian constitution protects them from attending civil or criminal court processes. Hence, all corrupt governors, deputy-governors, corrupt senators, and corrupt presidents and vice-presidents, etc., should have no immunity. They should appear before the national emergency corruption courts and defend themselves.

Ditto corrupt customs and immigration officers!

The Nigerian customs and immigration agencies must eliminate corrupt officers and submit them to the proposed national emergency corruption courts for prosecution. Nigerian borders will then be free and secure from illegal arms, ammunition, and drug importation.

This is the only way to ensure sanity in the Nigerian system.

Bandits and kidnappers that kidnap and kill ordinary Nigerians shall be immediately executed by a special kidnapping and banditry tribunal, not by the current courts that are operating in the country. The bandits and kidnappers that are summarily executed should be made known to the citizenry by printing their names in national dailies.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria should be structured to have a domestic judges’ trial segment for trying corrupt judges who pass biased legal judgments that are inimical to Nigerians and the Nigerian system.

No one is above the national law!

Religious clerics’ propagation methods must be controlled by the government in order to protect the Nigerian Christian and Muslim leaders from assuming informal powers that make them behave macho and feel as if they are also another government of their own. They should be controlled the way religion is controlled and monitored in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, etc.

Otherwise, if all the above explanations are not of interest to Mr. President, his entire cabinet, and Nigerian citizens; if all that has been exposed by all and sundry on Nigeria’s insecurity is not of deep concern or is seen as useless; and if the corrupt among us feel that this issue should be set aside or thrown into the dustbin of Nigeria’s “usual” insecurity history, then we should all forget about Nigeria and continue pontificating over what the honorable Chinua Achebe once described in his two books, “Things Fall Apart” and “There Was a Country “!

Nura Jibo is a senior research fellow and lifetime member of the West African Research Association (WARA), African Studies Centre, Boston University, United States. He can be contacted via jibonura@yahoo.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A senior finance operative of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno State, the Nigerian Army has announced.

The Army said the insurgent surrendered alongside two male children to troops of the 3 Battalion under the 24 Task Force Brigade.

In a statement issued late Saturday, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, described the development as another major breakthrough in ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.

According to Goni, the surrender took place at about 6:45 a.m. on July 25, 2026, along the Ladari–Jegarawa–Tunokalia axis on the Gamboru–Wulgo Main Supply Route in Borno State.

“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have recorded another major operational breakthrough with the surrender of a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) finance operative, underscoring the sustained impact of ongoing kinetic and intelligence-driven operations across the North East,” the statement read.

The Army spokesperson said the latest development comes amid an increasing number of terrorist surrenders, with about 46 insurgents and their family members reportedly laying down their arms in recent days.

Goni attributed the surrender to the sustained land and air offensives carried out by Operation Hadin Kai against terrorist strongholds.

“The terrorist surrendered to troops of 3 Battalion under 24 Task Force Brigade at about 6:45 a.m. on 25 July 2026 along the Ladari–Jegarawa–Tunokalia axis on the Gamboru–Wulgo Main Supply Route,” he said.

He disclosed that preliminary investigations identified the suspect as the chief finance operative of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram.

“Preliminary profiling indicates that the terrorist served as the Chief Finance Operative of the ISWAP enclave at Jubillaram, where he was responsible for managing the group’s financial activities and logistics. He surrendered alongside two male children,” he stated.

The Army said troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, four magazines, 101 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, one motorcycle and ₦40,000 from the surrendered suspect.

According to Goni, the suspect is currently in custody for further profiling and interrogation.

“The individual is currently undergoing detailed profiling and interrogation to exploit actionable intelligence that will support ongoing operations and facilitate the targeting of remaining terrorist elements across the Theatre,” he stressed.

The Army said the surrender of such a senior finance operative represents another major setback for ISWAP and reflects the weakening of the group’s command structure, operational capacity and logistics network.

“Coupled with the increasing number of recent surrenders, this development confirms deepening disillusionment within terrorist ranks and points to an accelerating wave of defections from terrorist camps,” he emphasised.

Goni reaffirmed the commitment of Operation Hadin Kai to restoring lasting peace and security across the North-East.

“The Theatre Command therefore calls on all remaining terrorists to take advantage of the Federal Government’s non-kinetic initiatives by laying down their arms before it is too late,” he added.

He also urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to strengthen ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

By Uzair Adam 

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has disclosed that he rejected a N300 million ransom demand made by kidnappers who abducted his brothers in 2019, insisting that paying criminals would only encourage further kidnappings.

The governor made the revelation on Thursday while speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Town Hall Conference in Abuja, where he also reiterated his support for the establishment of state police as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s growing security challenges.

Recounting the incident, Lawal said the abductors demanded N300 million for the release of his brothers, but he refused to negotiate or pay any ransom.

“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding about N300 million. I said, ‘I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go and kill them.'”

He explained that despite his refusal to meet the kidnappers’ demand, his brothers were eventually freed after spending about three months in captivity.

The governor said the experience strengthened his belief that ransom payments only empower criminal groups and encourage more abductions.

“By the time we continue to pay ransom to these people, we are encouraging them to keep kidnapping more and more people,” he said.

Lawal maintained that he would never negotiate with criminals or reward them financially, regardless of the circumstances.

“I will not negotiate, and I will not pay ransom to any criminal, no matter what happens.”

The governor made the remarks while advocating the creation of state police, arguing that governors cannot be held fully accountable for security when they lack operational control over security agencies in their states.

He noted that although governors are regarded as chief security officers of their states, they have no constitutional authority to direct the operations of the police and other security agencies.

“In as much as I am being called the chief security officer of the state, I don’t have the command and control structure to determine what happens or give instructions to some of these security officers,” he said.

According to Lawal, the current arrangement places governors in a difficult position because they are blamed for insecurity despite lacking the authority to coordinate security operations.

He stressed that protecting lives and property remains the primary responsibility of every government, adding that meaningful development cannot be achieved without adequate security.

“Why is it difficult for people to understand that my primary responsibility is the protection of lives and property, and I don’t have that control? How do you hold me accountable?” he asked.

Lawal argued that establishing state police would improve accountability, as governors would have direct oversight of security operations and could be judged by residents based on their performance.

He added that state governments would also be better positioned to recruit, equip, train and fund security personnel according to their unique security needs.

The governor further observed that the Nigeria Police Force continues to face challenges such as inadequate funding, poor welfare and insufficient training, which have affected its effectiveness.

Highlighting his administration’s investment in security, Lawal disclosed that the Zamfara State Government currently finances more than 30 per cent of security operations within the state.

He said the government has procured over 500 operational vehicles for security agencies in the past three years and recently handed over 35 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to strengthen the fight against banditry.

Lawal also revealed that the state has acquired both surveillance and combat drones to support security operations.

“We bought drones, both surveillance drones and attack drones, to aid the security forces in fighting these criminals in their respective areas,” he said.

The governor maintained that Nigeria’s insecurity can only be effectively addressed through improved funding, better welfare, enhanced training and the deployment of modern technology, rather than negotiating or paying ransom to criminal groups.

His comments come amid renewed national debate over the establishment of state police and broader reforms aimed at improving security across the country.

By Uzair Adam 

The Senate has called on the Federal Government to discontinue the rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant Boko Haram members and other violent criminals, arguing that the policy has failed to curb insecurity across the country.

The resolution followed a motion on the rising cases of attacks, abductions and killings involving serving and retired military personnel, including the late former Director of Defence Information, retired Major General Rabe Abubakar.

The motion, sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina), received unanimous support during Tuesday’s plenary.

Lawmakers condemned the continued rehabilitation of former Boko Haram fighters, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements under the Federal Government’s deradicalisation programme. Several senators linked the persistent security crisis, particularly in northern Nigeria, to the release of individuals described as repentant criminals back into society.

The Senate expressed concern over what it described as the deteriorating security situation, warning that the growing attacks on serving and retired military officers represent a dangerous dimension to the country’s security challenges.

It cited the killing of retired Major General Richard Duru in Owerri after a reported ransom payment of $50,000, the murder of retired Brigadier General O.M. Harlord Udokwere in Abuja, the 56-day captivity of former NYSC Director-General, retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, and the death of retired Major Aja while in captivity in Kogi State.

According to the lawmakers, the attacks pose a significant threat to national security because many of the victims previously held sensitive operational, intelligence and command positions.

The Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of Major General Rabe Abubakar and other Nigerians killed by terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes. 

It also urged the Federal Government to ensure that perpetrators are arrested and prosecuted.

The Red Chamber further called on security and intelligence agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance, threat assessment and early warning mechanisms, while urging the government to accelerate the deployment of modern security technology to combat terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.

The resolution comes despite the existence of Operation Safe Corridor, a Federal Government initiative launched in 2016 to deradicalise, rehabilitate and reintegrate former Boko Haram combatants who voluntarily surrendered. 

While officials have credited the programme with encouraging thousands of insurgents to abandon violence, concerns have persisted over reports of some beneficiaries allegedly returning to criminal activities.

Reacting to the Senate’s position, security analyst and Associate Professor at the University of Namibia, Dr. Babayo Sule, described the resolution as unfortunate and potentially counterproductive.

He argued that the deradicalisation programme was introduced only after military operations failed to bring lasting peace, stressing that rehabilitation and reconciliation remain recognised components of counter-insurgency strategies worldwide.

Rather than scrapping the initiative, Sule urged lawmakers to investigate its shortcomings and strengthen its implementation. He also called for greater oversight of Operation Safe Corridor and similar reconciliation programmes in states affected by insurgency.

According to him, abandoning the programme without addressing the underlying challenges could further worsen insecurity, as the country currently lacks sufficient capacity to defeat insurgents solely through military means.

By Uzair Adam 

Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have dismantled an illegal arms manufacturing factory allegedly linked to terrorist activities in Kebbi State, arresting two suspected arms manufacturers and suppliers.

The operation was carried out by troops of Sector 2 following credible intelligence, which led security personnel to a secluded compound allegedly being used as a covert production and distribution centre for locally fabricated firearms.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Media Information Officer of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt. Col. Aliyu Danja, said troops recovered five locally fabricated AK-47 rifles during a thorough search of the premises.

He described the operation, conducted in collaboration with other security agencies, as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to disrupt terrorist logistics and dismantle criminal networks operating across the North-West.

“The successful operation represents another major step in the ongoing campaign against the proliferation of illicit weapons, which have continued to fuel insecurity and violent activities in parts of the region,” Danja said.

He added that the suspects are currently in military custody and undergoing preliminary interrogation, while investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the syndicate, uncover its sponsors and collaborators, and dismantle the wider arms supply chain.

The Theatre Command commended the professionalism and commitment of the troops and partner security agencies involved in the operation.

It also urged residents across the North-West to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible intelligence, stressing that public support remains essential to sustaining security operations and eliminating criminal elements threatening peace and security in the region.

By Dahiru Kasimu Adamu

The Kebbi State Police Command has dismissed widespread reports about the emergence of a terrorist group known as “Sai Mallam” allegedly imposing illegal levies on communities in Argungu and Zuru Emirates, describing the claims as a gross misunderstanding of criminal activities by a cybercrime syndicate.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, clarified that investigations have established no such terrorist organisation exists within the state.

Instead, what residents mistook for a terrorist group’s activities was traced to a sophisticated cybercrime network locally known as “Yan Vocal,” operating within the Argungu Local Government Area and specialising in hacking and online extortion schemes targeting individuals and prominent personalities.

According to police findings, the syndicate comprises young individuals aged 19 to 24 who use advanced digital techniques to defraud unsuspecting victims.

The group’s operation involves hacking social media accounts, creating fake identities, and using sophisticated video editing tools to manipulate pre-recorded nude footage. Victims are deceived into believing they are engaged in live video calls with women, only to be blackmailed with threats of public exposure unless financial demands are met.

The victims, police said, include high-profile individuals such as politicians, traditional rulers, religious leaders, business owners, and other prominent figures.

Between June 26 and June 29, 2026, the command’s coordinated operation resulted in the arrest of thirteen suspects linked to the syndicate.

Those arrested include:

Ahmed Nasir, Rabiu Sani, Sadiq Umar, and Umar Nasir, all from Argungu, who allegedly conspired to obtain nude images of a female victim and demanded ₦1,000,000 from her.

Faisal Muhammed and Abbas Baraye were arrested for online extortion using nude pictures.

Abdullahi Abubakar, Abdulhamid Mukhtar, and Al’amin Aminu were accused of defrauding a victim of ₦3,000,000 after manipulating a video to falsely portray the victim in a compromising position. Haliru Bashar, Abubakar Faruk, Almustapha Munnir, and Saifullahi Nata’ala, who allegedly obtained a nude video of a female acquaintance through a sex-related Snapchat group and threatened to expose her.

Commissioner of Police, CP Umar M. Hadejia,  issued a stern warning that cybercrime constitutes a serious offence with grave consequences.

He called on parents and guardians to closely monitor their children’s online activities and discourage involvement in fraudulent schemes.

“We urge members of the public to exercise caution on social media, protect personal information, avoid suspicious online interactions, and promptly report cases of cyber extortion to the nearest police station,” CP Hadejia stated.

The police command has provided emergency contact numbers  09039911876 and 07081074395  for reporting cyber-related crimes.

All arrested suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate.

By Anwar Usman

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said on Friday that Nigeria’s integrated identity management system led to the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.

‎The minister made this known at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 into law, as contained in a statement signed by the President’s aide, Bayo Onanuga.

According to him, the suspects were arrested last Thursday at the Katsina airport after returning from Saudi Arabia and were subsequently handed over to the Department of State Services.

He said the arrests were successful as a result of integrating the National Identity Management Commission database with the Nigeria Immigration Service database and connecting it to Interpol.

The statement in part reads, ”I know, sometime ago, the Senate President was alarmed by how some terrorists went on pilgrimage, wondering how they crossed our borders. We inherited a fractured system.

‎”But I’m happy to tell you that even last week, Thursday, seven of the known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP at the point of coming back from Mecca were arrested in Katsina at the airport and were handed over to the DSS.

‎”This is only possible because NIMC’s ID is already connected with the immigration database, and it’s already speaking to even the Interpol 24/7, and we have been able to automate this,” the minister said.

According to the minister, the newly signed NIMC Act would further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by improving the harmonisation of identity databases and strengthening inter-agency collaboration.

‎He further revealed that the law will enhance the integrity of the National Identity Number system while boosting the country’s capacity to combat identity theft, terrorism, financial crimes and other security threats.

He said that before Tinubu’s government, identity management systems were fragmented, noting that services such as passport issuance and driver’s licence processing were disconnected from the national identity database.

President Tinubu signed the NIMC Act 2026 on Friday. In attendance were the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and other senior government officials.

By Khalid Imam 

The Triple R Kannywood Renewed Hope Initiative, the highest body of elite Kannywood actors and other influential Arewa creatives, led by Alhaji Dauda Adamu Abdullahi Kahutu Rarara, organised a special prayer session to pray for peace, unity, and security in Nigeria on 22nd June 2026 at the Aminu Dantata Trade Fair Complex in Kano City.

Conceived by a high-powered 5-Man Committee of Special Prayer chaired by Nura Hussaini, a famous Hausa film actor, the session drew a massive turnout of notable Hausa film actors, directors, singers, scriptwriters, authors, and other creatives in the arts industry. TikTok influencers and dozens of group members were also in attendance, and all were united by their concern over Nigeria’s security situation.

The special prayers attracted enthusiastic attendees from the film and arts industry in Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Niger, Sokoto, Borno, and other Northern regions. Starting around 11 am, members recited the Holy Qur’an. A big cow and a large ram were slaughtered, and the meat was shared among the public. The act sought Allah’s intervention for lasting peace and security, especially in troubled areas. 

Prayers were also faithfully offered for Almighty Allah to completely crush all those directly or indirectly profiting from the killing of innocent lives, especially bandits and other troublemakers. Members also prayed, asking God to bring a permanent end to terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping, and every form of insecurity plaguing Nigeria, particularly the North.

To ensure a well-coordinated and sustained approach, the initiative is committed to establishing the said powerful standing committee under the chairmanship of Nura Hussaini, with Sharu Nagudu serving as Vice Chairman. All members of the Triple R Kannywood for Renewed Hope Initiative are automatic and committed members, working collectively to hold continuous prayers for peace, unity, security, and Nigeria’s overall development.

At the heart of the prayers was a collective plea for Allah’s immediate intervention in ending the violence still disrupting communities across Nigeria. The group also prayed for lasting peace, security, and stability across Nigeria, for unity, love, and mutual understanding among all citizens, and for wisdom and sound guidance for the country’s political leadership at the national and state levels as they strive harder to steer the nation toward achieving peace and socioeconomic transformation.

Speaking to journalists at the venue of the special prayers and sacrifices, Rarara, a preeminent Hausa song artist and leader of the converged creative minds under the Triple R Kannywood Renewed Hope Initiative, said, “The initiative recognises the daunting challenges security agents face daily in tackling insecurity across the country. This prayer session was organised to complement their efforts by seeking Allah’s intervention and urging the general public to join in praying for the success of the government and security personnel in combating this persistent menace.”

Khalid Imam, a multiple award-winning bilingual author based in Kano, attended the special prayer session and crafted this report.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Suspected kidnappers have abducted the traditional ruler of Ode Oriya community in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Adeniyi Adelana.

The monarch, who is said to be 60 years old, was reportedly taken from his residence on Saturday night after armed men stormed the community.

Sources said the attackers, believed to be about six in number, arrived at about 8:30 p.m. and opened fire during the operation. The gunmen allegedly shot the monarch’s wife before taking Adelana into a nearby forest.

The Ondo State Police Command confirmed the incident. The Police Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed that the injured woman is receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital.

Jimoh said security personnel were immediately deployed to the area after the attack. He added that tactical teams have commenced an intensive search of the forest and surrounding communities in an effort to rescue the abducted traditional ruler.

He said, “A comprehensive search-and-rescue operation was immediately activated, with security operatives combing nearby forests, bush paths and suspected escape routes in a determined effort to track the movement of the kidnappers, secure the victim’s safe release and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“The Command remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that the victim is reunited safely with his family while all those involved face the full weight of the law.

“The Ondo State Police Command urges members of the public to remain calm and continue their lawful activities without fear. Residents are encouraged to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and timely information that may aid ongoing operations.”

The police said efforts are ongoing to locate the kidnappers and ensure the safe return of the traditional ruler. Authorities also appealed to residents to support security agencies with useful information that could assist the rescue operation.

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

The loss of an Army General, whether retired or in active service, at the hands of ragtag bandits, insurgents or terrorists is heartbreaking and a major loss to the nation.

What Nigeria is witnessing today can no longer be described merely as insurgency or banditry. Nigeria is at war. Simple.

Over the years, the country has suffered painful losses of highly trained military officers in the fight against terrorism and armed criminal groups. These incidents clearly show the scale, sophistication, and dangerous evolution of insecurity across the country.

In November 2021, Brigadier General Dzarma Zirkusu was killed in an ambush while commanding the 28 Task Force Brigade in the Chibok area of Borno State.

In November 2025, Brigadier General Musa Uba was killed in an ISWAP ambush near Wajiroko along the Damboa–Wajiroko Road in Borno State.

On April 9, 2026, Brigadier General Oseni Omoh Braimah, a Brigade Commander, was killed during a coordinated Boko Haram/ISWAP assault that overran a military base in Benisheikh, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.

On June 13, 2026, the Katsina State Government announced the death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, who died while in captivity after being abducted by bandits.

Similarly, in September 2018, retired Major General Idris Alkali was killed by a mob in Plateau State, another painful reminder that even retired senior military officers are not spared from the growing insecurity.

Reaching the rank of General in the Nigerian Army is an extremely competitive, merit-based process that often requires 25 to 35 years of dedicated service, sacrifice, discipline, and commitment to the nation.

These are not ordinary individuals. Generals and indeed all well-trained security personnel, whether active or retired, are strategic national assets. Their experience, intelligence, leadership, and institutional knowledge are invaluable to any country.

When a nation begins to lose such high ranking officers to terrorists and bandits, it is a clear indication that the threat has grown beyond ordinary criminality.

The time has come for Nigeria to fully confront this reality and respond with the seriousness, unity, and determination that war demands, despite the heavy consequences that often come with prolonged conflict and guerrilla warfare. The country’s survival, stability, and future depend on it.

Nigeria is at war with the bandits

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja via zaymohd@yahoo.com.