Daily Digest Online

A political bombshell has detonated within Nigeria's security establishment, with a former state official making on-camera allegations that the country's Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, personally financed and supplied notorious terrorist commanders with cash and vehicles while he was Governor of Zamfara State. Musa Muhammad Kamara, who served as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) under Matawalle, confirmed long-standing media reports in a viral video interview. He stated that he personally handled transactions that directly benefited high-value terror targets like Bello Turji, Kachalla Halilu, and Ado Aleru. Allegations of Direct Support to Terrorists In a detailed Hausa-language confession, Kamara outlined the alleged scheme: *   Provision of Vehicles: "Vehicles were given to Kachalla Halilu, Turji, Ado Aleru; those motorcycles were truly bought and given out." *   Cash Settlements : Kamara confessed to being a bene...

In a major blow to banditry in Nigeria's troubled northwest, troops have killed a top associate of notorious warlord Bello Turji, causing disarray within his ranks and marking a significant advance in the military's campaign. The operation is part of a sustained offensive that analysts say is tightening the noose around one of the region's most feared criminals. Nigerian Army forces, in collaboration with local vigilantes, eliminated Kachalla Kallamu (real name Musa) during a raid in the early hours of Monday, December 8, around Kurawa village in Sokoto State's Sabon Birni Local Government Area. Kallamu was a senior commander and close ally within Bello Turji's network, also acting as a key logistics supplier. Profile of the Slain Commander and Operation Impact Kallamu was a formidable figure in his own right. A Tuareg leader whose family migrated from Niger, he commanded about 100 fighters and specialized in kidnappings and attacks across So...

A United States congressional delegation has raised serious concerns after visiting camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria's Benue State, describing a dire humanitarian crisis and framing the violence as a "genocidal campaign." The delegation, led by Congressman Riley Moore and directed by President Donald Trump, conducted the on-the-ground mission to inform U.S. policy on global religious persecution and atrocity response. Key Findings from the Visit Congressman Moore reported encountering "harrowing" conditions in the camps and estimated that over 600,000 Christians have been displaced by ongoing violence in the region. He shared devastating personal testimonies from survivors, including one woman who witnessed the killing of her husband and five children, and another whose family was murdered before her eyes. During the visit, Moore met with local Tiv and Catholic leaders and held discussions with Nigeria’...

Nigerian military forces are tightening the noose around notorious bandit commander Bello Turji, following a major operation that eliminated one of his key allies and logistics suppliers in Sokoto State. The successful strike has caused significant disruption within Turji's network, marking a potential turning point in the long-running campaign against banditry in Nigeria's northwest. In the early hours of Monday, December 9, troops from the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, collaborating with local vigilante groups, launched an offensive in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area. The operation resulted in the death of the notorious bandit commander **Kachalla Kallamu** around Kurawa village. The Target: Who Was Kachalla Kallamu? Kallamu was a major terror figure in eastern Sokoto, responsible for years of killings, kidnappings, and extortion. Security expert Prof. Murtala Ahmed Rufa'i, author of "I am a bandit," provided a detailed profile o...

In a sharp critique, U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga has condemned the Nigerian government for failing to protect its citizens from escalating religious violence, asserting that radical Islamists are killing Christians with impunity while authorities downplay the crisis. The congressman, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, voiced his concerns during a recent hearing and in a televised interview, framing the violence as a dire threat not only to Christians but to all Nigerians. A Personal and Political Stance Huizenga's connection to Nigeria is both political and personal. As a member of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA)—a denomination with deep historical ties to Nigeria dating back to missionary work in the 1920s—he represents a community of roughly 400,000 members in the U.S. with about 500,000 fellow congregants in Nigeria. This link informs his advocacy, blending policy with faith-based conce...

KADUNA STATE, Nigeria — Terrorists have released a chilling new photograph of the wife and daughter of an Anglican priest they murdered last month, escalating fears for the hostages' safety and demonstrating a shocking new level of psychological warfare. The image, which began circulating online Wednesday, shows Sarah Achi and her daughter seated on the ground in an undisclosed location, with a gunman pointing a rifle directly at them. The release of this graphic photo marks a disturbing intensification in a kidnapping case that has already ended in tragedy. A Family Targeted: A Priest Murdered, His Family Held The ordeal began on October 28, 2025, when armed men stormed the family residence in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. They abducted Venerable Edwin Achi, his wife Sarah, and their daughter. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₦200 million and threatened to kill their captives. Tragically, they executed their threat against...

A joint security operation by police and local vigilantes in Edo State led to the arrest of an unspecified number of suspected bandits and kidnappers at a hotel on Saturday, though accounts of the recovery of high-powered weapons have been disputed by the hotel's management. The arrests took place at Donchi Donchi Hotel on Odighie Road in the Agbede community of Etsako West Local Government Area. According to reports from local sources, the operation was triggered by community vigilance and a timely tip-off about the arrival of two Hilux vehicles carrying individuals described as "strange persons." Lawyers and community leaders, including Barr. Abdul Hakeem Enatto, shared details on social media, stating that a combined team of the Agbede Police Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Donald, and local vigilante members surrounded the hotel. They reportedly waited until the second Hilux vehicle entered the premises before moving in to apprehen...

A retired high-ranking Nigerian military officer has revealed a potentially pivotal moment in the nation's fight against banditry, claiming that a directive from the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari in 2021 halted a major military offensive that was on the verge of crippling armed gangs in the country's northwest and north-central regions. Retired Major-General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, who commanded the covert Operation Service Wide (OSW), detailed in a public account how his forces were making significant gains against bandits in states like Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara before being ordered to stand down. He alleges this pause, ostensibly to allow for negotiations with Fulani leadership, provided a crucial reprieve that allowed the bandits to regroup and survive. "The bandits operating in the North Central and North West zones were on the verge of capitulation in July/August 2021," Ali-Keffi stated, "until the administration gave them a re...

In a significant escalation of counter-insurgency efforts, Nigerian Army troops have conducted coordinated operations across multiple theaters, neutralizing 18 terrorists, rescuing 14 kidnapped civilians, and arresting dozens of suspects in a sweeping 48-hour offensive. The operations, which spanned from the restive Northeast to the Northwest and other regions, underscore the military's sustained push to dismantle terrorist networks and reclaim territory from armed groups. Decisive Blow in Borno: 15 ISWAP Fighters Killed, Bomb Vehicles Destroyed The most consequential engagement occurred in Borno State, the epicenter of the long-running conflict with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'adati wal-Jihad (JAS). On Saturday morning, troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion, supported by precise air strikes, repelled a major ISWAP/JAS attack around Dutsen Nonu in the Biu Local Government Area. Military sources confi...

A palpable wave of apprehension is sweeping through communities across southern Nigeria, transforming the once-familiar landscape of local forests and farmlands into a source of deep unease. The catalyst is a southward expansion of bandit activity from the northern regions, pushing criminal elements toward new frontiers and compelling state governments to adopt unprecedented local security measures. Residents like Bamidele, a cassava farmer in Olorunsogo, Oyo State, articulate the daily fear. "We cannot sleep with both eyes closed anymore," he confesses. "We see strange faces in the bush that we don't recognize. These are not regular hunters or herders. Something is clearly changing." This sentiment echoes from the dense Oke-Ogun forests to the riverine areas of the Niger Delta, as bandit groups test the boundaries of southern states. Mapping the Southern Frontier of a Northern Crisis Investigations indicate that the movement ...

Several residents abducted during brazen attacks in two Enugu State communities have been freed after a substantial ransom was paid to their captors, an event that has intensified local protests over what citizens describe as government inaction and a complete breakdown of security. Multiple victims of recent kidnappings in Enugu State have been released following the payment of a significant ransom to their abductors, highlighting the growing reliance on community-led negotiations in the face of perceived state failure. The victims, taken from the Ezimo and Obollo-Eke communities in Udenu Local Government Area during coordinated attacks last weekend, were reportedly freed near the Benue State border on Thursday evening.  According to local sources, their release came after a "handsome ransom" was paid, with no intervention from government or security agencies. After being freed, the victims were taken to the Orokamu Police Station in Benue State befor...