Daily Digest Online

Chabi Yayi, the son of former Beninese President and current opposition leader Thomas Boni Yayi, was arrested at his home early Sunday morning, a week after a failed coup attempt shook the West African nation. The arrest was confirmed by sources, although the exact reasons for his detention were not officially stated at the time. A member of the Democrats Party, the main opposition party led by Yayi, told local media, **“We don’t know if it is linked to the events of last Sunday.”** Widespread Arrests Following the Attempted Putsch The arrest is part of a broader wave of detentions by authorities in response to the December 7 coup attempt. Among those already in custody are: *   Alleged participants in the plot. *   Candide Azannai, a key opposition figure, who was placed in police custody for "conspiracy against the authority of the State and incitement to rebellion." *   The country's former Minister of Defence. Additionally, Benin has issued ...

In a startling revelation that exposes a critical vulnerability in Nigeria's security strategy, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has detailed how criminal gangs use sophisticated communication tricks to operate with impunity in the country's vast unconnected areas. The federal government, now aware of this gap, is responding with a massive infrastructure project aimed at literally connecting the dots to combat insecurity. The "Tower Hopping" Tactic During an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, Minister Tijani explained that the common assumption—that bandits use unregistered SIM cards—is not the primary issue. Instead, these criminal networks have adopted a more technical method to avoid detection. "They were not using the normal towers; they bounce calls off multiple towers," Tijani stated. This technique, effectively "hopping" a signal across several cell tow...

A contingent of eleven Nigerian military personnel remains in detention in Burkina Faso as a tense diplomatic incident unfolds, with conflicting narratives emerging from the two nations over an unscheduled military aircraft landing. Eleven Nigerian officers, including two pilots, are still being held in Burkina Faso days after their Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft made an emergency landing in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso on Monday, December 8. The situation has sparked a diplomatic dispute, with Nigeria attributing the landing to a technical fault and Burkina Faso, backed by its regional allies, decrying it as a violation of its airspace. Conflicting Stories Behind the Landing Officials from Nigeria and Burkina Faso have presented starkly different accounts of the event: *   Nigeria's Position: The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Air Force maintain the aircraft was on a routine ferry mission to Portugal when it developed a technical issue. The...

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 solemn visit, Nigeria's Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd), OFR, has paid his respects to the family of the late Brigadier General M. Uba, honoring the fallen officer's service and sacrifice for the nation. During the condolence visit on Thursday, December 11, 2025, the Minister delivered a tribute praising Brigadier General Uba's "exceptional bravery, uncommon dedication, and selfless service." He described the late officer as a "consummate professional" whose sacrifice embodied the highest ideals of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Reaffirmation of Security Commitment General Musa used the occasion to reaffirm the government's unwavering resolve in its security operations.  He emphasized his steadfast commitment to strengthening the fight against terrorism and confronting all threats to national stability. The Minister assured that the Federal Government remains resolute in honoring th...

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...

The alleged mastermind behind last week's failed coup in Benin Republic is reportedly hiding in the capital of neighboring Togo, according to Beninese officials, setting the stage for a potential diplomatic standoff. Pascal Tigri, identified as the ringleader of the attempted overthrow, was located in the Lome 2 district of Togo's capital—an area that also houses the residence of Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe. The Hunt for the Fugitive Leader The coup attempt was thwarted by Beninese soldiers with support from Nigerian and Ivorian forces. While Nigeria conducted airstrikes against fleeing plotters, Tigri evaded capture. His trail led to Togo after intelligence revealed he had been contacted using a Togolese phone number on the day of the coup. Benin's national intelligence service has formally requested Togo's assistance in apprehending and extraditing Tigri and his accomplices. A government source stated that any failure by Togo to comply ...

A former soldier has leveled serious allegations of systemic corruption within the Nigerian military, claiming that high-ranking generals are misappropriating security funds and soldiers' allowances to finance lavish lifestyles, making them among the country's wealthiest individuals. In a recent interview, the ex-servicemember, who joined the army in 1993, contrasted the past with the present, stating it was once rare to see generals owning vast estates. "You see this estate belongs to this person in Abuja, that estate belongs to this general... Is it his salary he is using to acquire those houses? No. It is the soldiers’ money and security funds they are taking," she alleged. Allegations of Misused Funds and Human Cost The ex-soldier described a direct link between the generals' wealth and the deprivation faced by rank-and-file soldiers and their families. She claimed that funds meant for personnel are diverted, sometimes even after a sold...

Former President Goodluck Jonathan joined Senator Ned Nwoko on Wednesday to celebrate the promotion of the senator's brother, Kingsley Nwoko, to the rank of Major General in the Nigerian Army. The decoration ceremony was held in Abuja on December 10, 2025. Senator Nwoko shared the event on his social media, expressing pride in his brother's achievement, which he attributed to years of dedicated service. The presence of former President Jonathan among other dignitaries highlighted the significance of the occasion. The event was celebrated by family, community members, and well-wishers. * Source : YamanNews.ng *

Public affairs analyst Dele Fanimo has sharply criticized the circumstances surrounding the death of Nigeria's first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, calling it a "needless tragedy" that betrays a nation's failure to protect its brightest defenders. In an emotional interview, Fanimo highlighted the stark contrast between Arotile's flawless service record and the questionable official account of her demise, demanding a full and transparent investigation. A Record of Excellence Cut Short Fanimo, speaking on Voice of the People TV, painted a picture of Arotile as an exceptionally skilled and fearless officer. **"The lady was hitting hard on them. Throughout her mission, she never missed her target,"** he stated, referring to her precision strikes against insurgents in Nigeria's volatile northeast. He emphasized that her effectiveness made her a key asset in the Nigerian Air Force's (NAF) counte...

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 retired Nigerian Army general has reignited one of the nation's most shocking and mysterious tragedies, calling on President Bola Tinubu to reopen the investigation into the 2021 plane crash that killed Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and ten others, and alleging a possible link to terrorist sponsors. In a bombshell interview, retired Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, who was the senior officer on the ground to receive General Attahiru in Kaduna, laid out a series of alarming inconsistencies surrounding the fatal flight, suggesting it was more than a simple weather-related accident. He described a chain of suspicious events, from last-minute schedule changes to alleged aircraft sabotage, that he believes point toward a deliberate plot to eliminate the military's top leader. The Fateful Flight: A Timeline of Suspicion The tragedy unfolded on May 21, 2021. General Attahiru, along with senior aides and crew, was en route from Abuja to Kaduna ...