Security

By Muhsin Ibrahim

Inna lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raaji’un

There is a particular cruelty in the timing of some deaths, a cruelty that refuses to be explained away. Muslim Abdurrazak Ibrahim, 31, died on a Friday. Every Friday without fail, he would send a Jumu’at Mubarak message, a small ritual of love and faith that connected him to family and friends across the distance between a soldier’s post and the world back home. On this Friday, he sent nothing. He could not. He had already gone.

Muslim was the firstborn son of Abdurrazak, who named him after his uncle — a tribute to my older brother, Muslim. Abdurrazak, a retired soldier, had fought in battles inside and outside Nigeria and had returned home carrying the weight of friends lost in the trenches of Liberia, Sierra Leone, and beyond. His children, Muslim and his brother Bilal, would both join the Nigerian Army.

The week of his death was, without either of us knowing it, a week of farewells. On Wednesday, my busiest day, Muslim asked to speak with me, which was unusual in itself. We compromised, exchanging texts and voice notes instead. What followed was the most intimate conversation we had ever shared. 

Muslim spoke about his family, including his brother Buhari, who also wanted to join the Army. He spoke at unusual length and with unusual openness. For instance, he did not want Buhari to abandon his education to join the military. He had wanted a video or audio call for more direct contact, as he wanted to leave a wasiya, a will. We did not manage the call. But something was transmitted all the same.

On Thursday evening, he told me he was exhausted after the patrol. He and his colleagues had been chasing armed men on more than fifty motorbikes across the terrain of Kebbi State. They escaped. I prayed for better fortune next time. On Friday, there was no next time. He was killed in combat!

Just hours before his death, he had asked about obtaining a permit to travel home on the 20th of May to celebrate Eid al-Adha with his family in Kano. He had been looking forward to the feast and planning a homecoming.

He had also been planning a wedding. His betrothed, Nana, his girlfriend, his intended, was waiting. The arrangements were underway. He was thirty-one years old, at the beginning of the life he had been building, and then he was gone.

Muslim was a caring son to his parents, a devoted brother to his siblings, and a warm presence in the lives of friends, colleagues, and acquaintances alike. Those who knew him speak of his bravery on the battlefield, his attentiveness during training, his faithfulness in small gestures, such as the weekly Jumu’at message, among many other qualities. He was consistent. He was present. He was the kind of person who, even from a military post in the field, remembered to reach out.

This is the quiet tragedy within the larger one: that Nigeria loses sons and daughters like Muslim regularly, and the country has grown so accustomed to the loss that it barely flinches. The skirmishes, the patrols, the ambushes — they occur on the margins of the national conversation, and the brave men and women who fall in them are sometimes mourned only by their families, in private, without the acknowledgement their sacrifice demands. 

Muslim was not a statistic. He was a person who sent Jumu’at greetings and wanted to come home for Eid to meet family and friends. He had dreams and plans for the future. None of this would now happen.

I was, to my knowledge, the last family member to speak with him. That knowledge sits heavily. But I am also grateful that he reached out, that we spoke at length about family for the first time, and that something of what he wanted to say was said. He left, in those voice notes and texts, a presence that words can only approximate.

Against all odds, we pray for Nigeria’s prosperity. May the sacrifices of these gallant soldiers not be in vain. May Allah (SWT) forgive their shortcomings, accept their martyrdom, and grant their families and loved ones the strength to bear this loss.

May Muslim Abdurrazak Ibrahim rest in the mercy and peace of his Creator. May Nana be comforted. May his parents and siblings find strength. May his name be remembered — not only by those who loved him, but by a country that owes its soldiers more than silence, amin summa amin.

Inna lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi raaji’un — Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return.

By Misbahu El-Hamza

A few weeks ago, the HQ Nigerian Army announced the recovery of the remains of two officers, Master Warrant Officer Linus Musa Audu and Private Gloria Mathew, who were “brutally abducted and murdered by IPOB/ESN terrorists in May 2022 while travelling for their traditional wedding.”

I felt some relief for their families. At least they can now properly bury their loved ones and finally let go of the painful uncertainty of whether they were still alive.

But the report also reopened my grief for our lost friend, Hamza Ibrahim.

Hamza was my university coursemate and a very close friend. He and I often confided in each other. After university, he joined the Nigerian Army and later rose to the rank of Lieutenant. He was serving with a unit in Ogoja, Cross River State.

On July 2, 2023, Hamza disappeared while travelling from Abia to Anambra State.

Since then, we have not heard from him. Not by the Nigerian Army. Not by his grieving wife. Not by his father, who died last year, carrying the pain of not knowing what happened to his son. And not by any of us, his friends.

A few months after Hamza went missing, I led a group of our classmates to visit his wife at her family home in Kano. At the time, she was nursing their second child, just a few months old.

Her last memory of Hamza was a phone call on the day he disappeared.

He told her he suspected he was being followed. During the call, he asked whether their daughters were awake and told her to pray for him. She said he sounded unusually tense. That was the last time she heard his voice.

Then, on March 22, 2025, she was invited to his unit in Cross River State and handed a condolence letter and a death certificate.

“That was the worst day of my life,” she recalled.

Yet she still does not believe her husband is dead.

“I have spoken to many of his friends in the Army, and no one can clearly say what happened to Hamza,” she told me.

I once asked whether she or anyone around the family suspected IPOB/ESN involvement. She replied that if such groups had killed him, at least there would have been a body.

She referenced the killing of their family doctor, an Igbo military officer whose body, according to her, was left behind after IPOB/ESN shot him dead.

But in Hamza’s case, she said there was no trace. No confirmed scene. Nobody. Nothing.

To this day, she said many of his military friends still describe his disappearance as a mystery.

It has now been more than two years since we lost Captain Hamza Ibrahim. Ten days after he disappeared, he was promoted in absentia.

And although his wife officially received his death certificate nearly 20 months after that final phone call, she still hopes that one day she and her two daughters will wake up and see their husband and father return home. 

“Allah Ya bayyana mana gaskiya, Ya tona asirin duk wanda yake da hannu a cikin ɓatan shi,” (May Allah reveal the truth and expose whoever had a hand in his disappearance), she said in a broken voice as we were about to leave their house.

For me, it is painful to finally write about Hamza.

One thing I will always remember about him was his compassion toward me. Whenever I ran out of food at the university, Hamza would take me to his room and cook for us. I still remember when he handed me a crisp ₦500 note to buy food and kerosene. That kindness is something I can never forget.

I wanted to write about him shortly after he disappeared, but his wife asked me not to because she had been instructed not to speak to the media, and I respected that. But after reading the Nigerian Army’s report on the recovery of two missing officers, I could no longer keep this painful story to myself.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

Screenings of the documentary Uromi-16: The Story, scheduled for Abuja, Kaduna, and Kano, have been postponed indefinitely due to what the producers described as “credible security concerns.”

In a statement dated April 22, 2026, legal representatives for the producer, A.A. Mustapha & Co., said the decision was taken after a reassessment of the immediate environment for the film’s release. “The safety of all stakeholders, particularly viewers, remains paramount,” the statement said.

The documentary by Sa’id Sa’ad Abubakar details the killing of 16 Kano travellers-hunters in Uromi, Edo State, seen as jungle justice. The victims, reportedly en route, were attacked and killed by a mob after suspicion and community outrage. It also seeks to correct what its makers call widespread misinformation while promoting accountability and justice.

The firm stressed that the postponement does not signal a withdrawal from the project but is a precautionary measure in the public interest. It added that consultations are ongoing with authorities and other stakeholders to address concerns around safety and rights.

Ticket holders will receive refunds within three weeks through the ticketing platform, the statement said, while new dates or alternative release plans will be announced later.

The producers also urged the public to remain calm and law-abiding as efforts continue to ensure the film’s safe rollout.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Nigeria’s military has suffered another devastating loss after a senior army officer was killed in a coordinated attack by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

Colonel I.A. Mohammed, Commander of the 242 Battalion, died when his convoy was ambushed by fighters in the Moguno area, near the town of Boron. According to military sources, the troops were reinforcing a military camp under attack when their formation was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED), followed by heavy gunfire from insurgents hidden along the route.

Several other soldiers also lost their lives in the attack. Casualty figures have not been officially released, but a military source confirmed that the death toll includes the commanding officer and other ranks.

Colonel Mohammed’s death marks the fifth loss of a top-ranking military officer in Nigeria in 2026 alone — all within the first four months of the year. The repeated targeting of senior commanders has raised urgent questions about operational security and the resilience of the military’s command structure in the northeast counterinsurgency campaign.

As of press time, the Nigerian Army has not issued an official statement, but an internal security briefing described the incident as a “well-planned ambush with high-grade explosives.”

The insurgency in Borno, which has persisted for over a decade, continues to exact a heavy toll on both combatants and civilians, despite repeated government claims that Boko Haram has been largely defeated.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Adeyemo Oluwafemi Temitope, a final-year student of quantity surveying at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) in Plateau State, has been confirmed dead after earlier being declared missing.

The confirmation was made by his close friend, Meshak Gimba, a 400-level psychology student, who shared the update on X on Friday.

“Adeyemo Oluwafemi Temitope has now been confirmed dead. He has been found, but not alive,” Gimba wrote.

According to a report by TheCable newspaper, Temitope’s body was discovered three days after reports emerged that he was attacked by unidentified persons in Jos, the state capital.

“We initially thought he went missing, and that was why I posted and circulated his picture on Facebook and included my number in case anyone finds him,” Gimba said.

“But we got a call earlier today to come to the hospital, where we saw his corpse.”

He explained that the remains had been taken to the University Teaching Hospital mortuary on Wednesday by local security operatives. The operatives reportedly said the student was attacked by unknown individuals.

“The officials at the hospital said the security operatives told them he was coming from the market that morning when unknown persons attacked and killed him at Bauchi junction, close to the hostel,” Gimba added.

The university’s vice-chancellor, Tanko Ishaya, has pledged to reach out to the deceased’s family to ensure proper identification and necessary arrangements.

Agama Solomon, the institution’s chief security officer, also confirmed the development.

“On Wednesday, he was declared missing. This morning, we were told that his corpse is at the university teaching hospita,” Solomon told TheCable.

“So, myself, the vice-chancellor, dean of student affairs, and other staff went to the hospital to find out whether truly that was his corpse.

“And we discovered that indeed, it was his corpse. His close friend identified him, saying he is the one,” he added.

Solomon said the university authorities had contacted the family and were awaiting their arrival to begin burial preparations.

The incident comes amid rising security concerns in the area. About 28 people were recently killed and several others injured in Angwan Rukuba, a community near the university in Jos North LGA.

In response to the tension, the university directed students to vacate hostels immediately on Wednesday. The management also suspended ongoing examinations, with plans to reschedule them after the Easter celebration due to the deteriorating security situation.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully repelled a series of coordinated attacks by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on multiple military positions in Borno State, inflicting heavy casualties and recovering a significant cache of arms and ammunition.

The failed assaults, which targeted Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in the towns of Mayanti, Gajigana, and Gajiram, took place between the late hours of February 28 and the early morning of March 1, 2026. Military authorities described the wave of attacks as a sign of desperation from terrorist groups whose enclaves and supply routes are under sustained pressure from ongoing offensives.

The most intense fighting occurred at FOB Mayanti late on February 28, where a large number of terrorists armed with heavy weapons attempted to overrun the position. Troops held their ground under heavy fire, and reinforcements successfully fought their way through ambushes and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to rout the attackers. A subsequent sweep of the area revealed the bodies of five terrorists. Troops also recovered three PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, two RPG-7 tubes, four AK-47 rifles, two FN rifles, and a large quantity of ammunition. Military sources confirmed blood trails indicated more terrorists were wounded and evacuated. One officer was killed in action during the fierce encounter.

Hours later, at approximately 1:15 a.m. on March 1, terrorists armed with PKT machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, and armed drones launched a coordinated assault on FOB Gajiram. The attack was repelled by determined troops supported by Nigerian Air Force assets. Three terrorist bodies were recovered along their withdrawal route. Items abandoned by the fleeing fighters included four AK-47 rifles, five anti-tank bombs, three locally made mortar bombs, and one armed drone. Other recovered items ranged from barbed wire cutters and specialized ammunition to poisoned arrows. One wounded soldier was airlifted by a Nigerian Army Aviation helicopter for advanced medical care.

In related offensive operations under Sector 2, troops ambushed terrorist elements around Bulturam Corner and Dadingel in Gujba Local Government Area, neutralizing two fighters and recovering two AK-47 rifles. Separate patrols also led to the destruction of terrorist life-support structures in Kayawa Village and the arrest of two confessed ISWAP logistics suppliers. Items seized in those operations included motorcycles, drugs, and medical supplies intended for treating wounded terrorists.

Military authorities confirmed that all locations are firmly under control. The large scale of weapons recovered and the number of confirmed enemy losses are seen as further evidence of the degrading combat capability of ISWAP in the region.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have seized a large consignment of illegal drugs and arrested several suspects in separate operations carried out across the state.

The command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, made this known in a statement issued on 25 February in Asaba. He said the operation formed part of ongoing efforts to tackle drug trafficking and violent crimes in the state. The Commissioner of Police, Aina Adesola, oversaw the exercise.

According to the statement, officers attached to the Eagle Net Special Squad intercepted a white J5 bus along the Asaba–Agbor Expressway near Northwest Filling Station on 13 February at about 10:30 p.m. The vehicle was stopped during a routine search.

A detailed inspection led to the discovery of 1,520 packets of Tramadol and Swinol tablets. The substances had been hidden beneath company machines inside the bus.

Police arrested the driver, Ebuka Dominion, 30, from Aguta Local Government Area of Anambra State, along with the motor boy, Emmanuel Terdule, 30, from Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.

Investigators said early findings indicate that the drugs were meant for distribution. Further intelligence obtained during interrogation led to the arrest of Peter Akpan, 47, from Mbiaya in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. He is believed to be the owner of the seized consignment.

Police authorities said efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other members of the drug network.

In a separate operation on 22 February at about 3:20 p.m., operatives of the Commissioner of Police Special Assignment Team arrested a 23-year-old suspect linked to a series of robbery incidents in Warri.

The suspect later took officers to a bush in the Jedo area of Warri. A locally made gun buried at the location was recovered.

Police said the suspect admitted to being a member of the Aye Confraternity. He also confessed to participating in several door-to-door robbery operations within the Warri area.

Authorities confirmed that efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the gang.

The development comes amid rising concern over drug abuse in Delta State. Recently, community leaders raised alarm over the increasing rate of narcotics consumption among young people.

“We consider this development a matter of urgent public interest requiring coordinated and sustained intervention by all tiers of government and law enforcement agencies,” the elders under the aegis of the Aniocha–Oshimili Elders’ Association stated.

Data from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency also shows the scale of the challenge. The agency’s Delta State Command reported last year that it seized illicit drugs valued at over N3 billion.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division and Commander of Sector 2, Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Major General Bemgha Koughna, successfully foiled a deadly ambush by suspected Lakurawa Terrorist Group (LTG) near Mayama Hill in Kebbi State. The attack targeted the GOC’s convoy as it traveled to visit frontline troops deployed in the state.

This is contained in a press release signed by Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 8 Division, Nigerian Army / Sector 2 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, on 23 February 2026.

According to the press release, the convoy “came under sudden and heavy fire from armed terrorists” while moving through the forested terrain. Displaying “exceptional leadership and tactical prowess,” Major General Koughna and his troops responded with overwhelming firepower, killing five terrorists and repelling the ambush.

“This operation not only secured the convoy but also disrupted the terrorists’ plans, delivering a strong deterrent message to insurgent groups that have been terrorizing local communities in the general area,” the statement said.

After neutralizing the attackers, troops conducted a thorough sweep of the area and recovered a significant cache of weapons and intelligence materials. Items recovered include “one OJC Gun, one PKT Gun, two AK-47 Rifles and four AK-47 Magazines,” as well as “one Bandolier of PKT Ammunition, several rounds of 12.7mm Ammunition, a camel bag containing ₦840,000, two mobile phones and five motorcycles.”

Troops remain deployed in the area, maintaining vigilance to prevent further attacks. The operation highlights the Nigerian Army’s commitment to “protect civilians and eliminate terrorist threats in the North West region,” the statement added.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Kano State Police Command has successfully dismantled a notorious six-member car theft syndicate, recovering three stolen vehicles in a targeted operation led by the Special Intervention Squad (SIS).

The crackdown followed a directive from the Inspector-General of Police to intensify efforts against organized crime. According to a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, the breakthrough began on February 13, 2026, with the arrest of the primary suspect, 35-year-old Aliyu Mamman.

Mamman, a resident of Gusau, Zamfara State, was apprehended at Hotoro Ring Road in Kano. During interrogation, he confessed to stealing several vehicles across Kano, Kaduna, and Katsina States. His testimony led detectives to five accomplices: Abdulhamid Usman, Saliha Abdulhamid, Auwal Shuaibu, Sani Bala, and Ahmad Mannir.

The recovered vehicles include a Golf Wagon, a Golf Opel, and a Hijet (commonly referred to as “Kurkura”).

The Kano State Police Command attributed the success to its transition toward intelligence-led and technology-driven operations. Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Adamu Bakori has ordered a full investigation to identify other members of the network and urged the public to stay vigilant.

The suspects are expected to be charged in court following the conclusion of the investigation.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed that at least 33 residents lost their lives after suspected Lakurawa terrorists attacked several communities in Arewa Local Government Area of the state.

The attacks took place on Wednesday across different villages in the council area.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the police spokesperson in Kebbi, Bashir Usman, said the assailants invaded the affected communities with the intention of rustling cattle. He explained that the attackers were confronted by local residents during the incident. He also disclosed that the gunmen reportedly entered the area from Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

“The command deeply regrets the loss of thirty-three innocent lives and extends its heartfelt condolences to the families affected and the entire Arewa community,” the statement reads.

“Preliminary investigations confirm that armed Lakurawa militants entered the area to rustle cattle. The assailants are believed to have crossed into the district from Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

“Residents from Mamunu, Awasaka, Tungan Tsoho, Makangara, Kanzo, Gorun Naidal, and Dan Mai Ago mobilized in response, during which the fatal confrontation occurred.

“The Command emphasizes that incidents involving armed criminal elements require coordinated security intervention.

“Members of the public are urged to promptly report suspicious movements through established security channels rather than engage directly, as such confrontations pose grave risks.”

The police said security personnel have since been deployed to the affected communities to restore calm and prevent further attacks.

In a related development, six members of a vigilance group were killed in March 2025 after bandits attacked Dan Tulu and Rusakde villages in Arewa Local Government Area following a cattle rustling incident.

Authorities have assured residents of continued efforts to address insecurity in the area.