Daily Digest Online

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...

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...

Nigerian security forces have reportedly killed more than 40 armed militants during a major raid on a hideout in Niger State, marking a significant operation against regional insecurity.  The development comes amid ongoing violence, as a separate attack on returning internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Taraba State left at least 17 people dead. Major Security Operation in Niger State According to security analyst Bakatsine, the operation targeted a militant camp in the Lakurawa area of Borgu Local Government Area. The hideout was said to be under the control of a militant leader identified as Amir Tajuddeen. Security forces stormed the camp and engaged the armed group in a clash that resulted in the reported deaths of over 40 fighters. The raid was described as a significant breakthrough in efforts to combat insecurity in the state. Separate Attack on Returning IDPs in Taraba In a tragic unrelated incident, violence struck returning...

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has carried out new attacks in Northeast Nigeria, executing two individuals accused of spying for the Nigerian Army and raiding the properties of a police officer. The incidents, reported by security analyst Brant Philip, highlight continued militant activity in the region. Below is a summary of the key events: | Incident | Location | Reported Details | | Execution of Alleged Spies | Dekwa, Yobe & near Gubio, Borno | Two individuals accused of being army spies were killed. One was captured at home, and a vehicle was seized. | | Raid on Police Properties | Tetiba, Yobe State | Three houses belonging to Police Officer-in-Charge Mohammed Modu were set ablaze. Motorcycles and vehicles were stolen. No casualties were reported. | Details of the Incidents Security expert Brant Philip stated that ISWAP executed two alleged spies loyal to the Nigerian army. One was captured in his home in Dekwa, Yobe State, a...

In a stark and contentious assessment of Nigeria's long-running security crisis, prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has declared the nation's military incapable of defeating bandit groups through force, insisting that negotiations offer the only viable path to peace. The cleric's remarks, made in an exclusive BBC interview, challenge the core premise of President Bola Tinubu's administration, which is pursuing a strategy of sweeping military reforms and a national security emergency aimed at crushing violent non-state actors. The Core Argument: A War Unwinnable by Bullets Alone Gumi framed the conflict in the northwest and beyond as a classic asymmetric struggle where a conventional military holds a disadvantage. "Where have you ever seen the military defeat guerrilla fighters? Nowhere," he stated. He cited the military's own doctrine, suggesting that kinetic (military) action constitutes only 25% of the solution...

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...

ABUJA, Nigeria — Two of Nigeria's former top military commanders have issued forceful denials of recent allegations linking them to terrorism financing, dismissing the claims as baseless and threatening legal action against the media outlet and individual responsible. Retired Lieutenant Generals Tukur Buratai and Faruk Yahaya, both former Chiefs of Army Staff, jointly rejected the accusations published by Sahara Reporters, which cited claims from retired Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi. In a statement released on Saturday by his representative, retired Brigadier General Sani Usman, General Buratai labeled the report "fabricated, unfounded, and mischievous." He insisted that no security agency, intelligence service, or judicial panel had ever investigated or implicated him in terrorism financing throughout his career, which included a tenure as Nigeria's Ambassador to Benin Republic. "The insinuation that Buratai was connected, directly or...