Counterterrorism: Military says air strikes kill 23 suspected ISWAP fighters in Borno

The Nigerian military says at least 23 suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were killed in separate air strikes carried out in Borno State as troops intensified counterterrorism operations across Nigeria’s North-East.

The operations, conducted under Operation HADIN KAI, targeted suspected insurgent positions in Marte Local Government Area and along the strategic Bama–Maiduguri supply route, areas that have remained active theatres of insurgent activities in recent years.

According to military sources cited in counter-insurgency reports, the first operation was launched at about 5:35 a.m. on Tuesday after intelligence indicated the presence of suspected terrorists around KLA Balia in Marte LGA.

An Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, codenamed Guardian, reportedly detected three concealed vehicles positioned at different locations before identifying five suspected insurgents taking cover beneath a tree.

Following confirmation of the targets, the platform carried out what was described as a precision strike on the location. The initial bombardment reportedly killed the five visible suspects and triggered secondary explosions believed to have resulted from hidden explosives or ammunition stored in the area.

Military sources later assessed that the explosions increased the number of suspected insurgents killed in the operation to 15, although the casualty figures have not been independently verified.

A planned follow-up strike targeting the concealed vehicles was reportedly aborted after a malfunction affected the aircraft’s laser-targeting system, preventing accurate engagement of the remaining targets.

Despite the technical setback, military officials described the mission as operationally successful, saying it disrupted the activities of the insurgents, destroyed part of their logistics network and forced surviving fighters to abandon the area.

Security sources added that surveillance of the location has continued, with additional operations expected to target fleeing suspects and destroy the remaining vehicles.

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In a separate mission, the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI reportedly killed eight additional suspected ISWAP fighters during a night combat operation conducted along the Bama–Maiduguri main supply route on July 22.

According to the operational report, helicopter crews observed muzzle flashes from an area previously identified by security agencies as a suspected insurgent training camp.

The crew reportedly fired probing rounds to verify hostile activity before coming under gunfire from the ground.

The aircraft subsequently responded with sustained aerial bombardment, which military sources said neutralised eight suspected insurgents, while others fled into surrounding bushes.

The latest operations form part of a broader military campaign aimed at disrupting ISWAP logistics, dismantling terrorist camps, preventing the movement of fighters and safeguarding major supply routes linking communities across Borno State.

In recent months, Operation HADIN KAI has intensified intelligence-led air and ground offensives against both ISWAP and Boko Haram, targeting hideouts, weapons storage facilities, logistics hubs and training camps in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

The military has also reported recovering weapons, motorcycles, communication equipment and other operational materials during several counterterrorism missions designed to weaken the operational capabilities of insurgent groups.

The renewed offensive comes amid continued efforts by the Armed Forces to deny terrorist groups freedom of movement and restore security across the North-East, where insurgency has displaced millions of people over the past decade.

Although security agencies have recorded several operational gains, attacks by ISWAP and Boko Haram continue to pose threats in parts of the region, with insurgents occasionally launching ambushes on troops, attacking civilian communities and targeting strategic infrastructure.

Security analysts have consistently emphasised that sustained intelligence gathering, close coordination between air and ground forces and improved surveillance remain essential to preventing insurgents from regrouping and re-establishing operational bases.

The Nigerian military has reiterated its commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorist groups until lasting peace and stability are restored across the North-East.

Counterterrorism: Military says air strikes kill 23 suspected ISWAP fighters in Borno

Osun 2026: Police declare ‘Emir,’ four others wanted over alleged political violence

The Osun State Police Command has declared five suspected political thugs wanted over their alleged involvement in a series of violent attacks across the state, as security agencies intensify efforts to prevent a breakdown of law and order ahead of the 2026 Osun State governorship election.

The move comes amid growing concerns over escalating political violence in several communities, where recent clashes have resulted in deaths, injuries and widespread tension.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the command identified the wanted suspects as Dauda Olamilekan, popularly known as Emir, Taoreed (alias Small Rugged), Adetunji Kamoru Olatunde, Saka Afees (alias Terror) and Adeyemi Saheed.

According to the police, the declaration followed weeks of intelligence gathering and investigations into violent incidents allegedly linked to political thuggery in different parts of the state.

The command alleged that the suspects are among the principal actors responsible for the recent wave of killings, assaults, intimidation and other criminal activities that have heightened political tension ahead of the governorship poll.

The command wants to declare the suspects wanted for various offences after an in-depth intelligence-led investigation identified them as key figures behind the increasing spate of political violence and thuggery in the state.

The police appealed to members of the public, community leaders and the media to assist security agencies with credible information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects.

It also urged the wanted individuals to surrender themselves at the Osun State Police Command, warning that officers have already commenced efforts to track them down and that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

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The declaration forms part of a broader security strategy by the Nigeria Police Force to curb election-related violence and reassure residents that adequate measures are being taken to safeguard lives and property before political campaigns gather full momentum.

The police have repeatedly warned political actors, supporters and youth groups against sponsoring or participating in violence, insisting that anyone involved in criminal activities will face prosecution irrespective of political affiliation.

Political tension has continued to rise across Osun State since June, with several deadly attacks reported in different communities.

Among those reportedly killed are Olapade Ezekiel, a teenager from Ilobu; Comrade Abdullateef Olamilekan; 70-year-old Kazeem Akande in Osogbo; Ajayi Aderogba in Esa-Oke; and Eluyera in Ikire.

The recurring violence has heightened fears among residents and prompted renewed calls from civil society organisations, traditional rulers and community leaders for stronger security measures to guarantee peaceful political activities ahead of the election.

Governor Ademola Adeleke has repeatedly condemned political violence and directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone found sponsoring or participating in attacks, regardless of political affiliation.

The governor has maintained that the state government remains committed to ensuring a peaceful and credible governorship election, while urging political stakeholders to embrace dialogue instead of violence.

NURTW crisis adds fresh security concerns

Meanwhile, the security situation has been further complicated by the leadership crisis rocking the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Osun State.

The National Executive Council of the NURTW has rejected the Osun State Government’s directive suspending the union’s activities across motor parks, insisting that the state government lacks the constitutional authority to halt the operations of the union.

The union also inaugurated a seven-member caretaker committee to oversee its affairs in Osun pending the resolution of the leadership dispute.

The committee is chaired by Kazeem Oyewale, popularly known as Asiri Eniba, with Sunday Oludare serving as secretary, Lukman Ahmed as treasurer, while Ismaila Abdurahim, Adebayo Tajudin, Tajudin Akin and Ayinde Mutiu will serve as members.

The development followed the Osun State Government’s suspension of NURTW activities in motor parks after violent clashes between rival factions disrupted commercial activities and raised fresh security concerns.

The state government also ordered an immediate halt to the collection of levies in motor parks and directed security agencies to arrest anyone parading himself as a union executive in defiance of the directive.

The crisis escalated after supporters of rival factions clashed in Osogbo, with reports of gunfire triggering panic among residents and businesses.

Reacting to the suspension, NURTW National President Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, through the union’s Deputy National President, Aliyu Ore, maintained that no state government has the legal authority to suspend the activities of the union because it was established under Nigerian law.

Ore explained that the inauguration of the caretaker committee became necessary because the Osun chapter had operated without effective leadership for several months.

He also disclosed that the union has an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the transportation of election materials, making it essential to maintain a functional leadership structure ahead of the governorship election.

According to him, the caretaker committee will administer the affairs of the union until all pending leadership disputes are resolved.

Accepting the appointment, caretaker committee chairman Kazeem Oyewale pledged to reposition the union and ensure strict compliance with both the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the NURTW Constitution.

As preparations for the 2026 Osun governorship election gather pace, security agencies have reiterated their commitment to maintaining law and order, warning political parties, supporters and interest groups against any action capable of undermining peace.

The police stressed that ongoing investigations into recent attacks remain active and urged residents to provide timely and credible information that could assist in preventing further violence and ensuring that those responsible are brought before the courts.

Osun 2026: Police declare ‘Emir,’ four others wanted over alleged political violence

IG Orders Police to Shoot Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms Nationwide

• IGP Olatunji Disu invokes Force Order 237, declares ‘no mercy’ for illegal gun carriers in new security crackdown following President Tinubu’s directive to end Benue State crisis

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has issued a sweeping directive ordering police officers across Nigeria to shoot on sight anyone found carrying illegal firearms, marking one of the toughest security measures adopted by the Nigeria Police Force in recent years as the government intensifies efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons and restore public safety across the country .

The directive was announced on Friday during a high-level stakeholders’ security meeting at the Benue State Government House in Makurdi, where the police chief declared that law enforcement agencies would no longer tolerate the unchecked proliferation of illegal weapons or the activities of armed groups responsible for persistent attacks on communities that have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced in recent months . The meeting was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, and other security stakeholders who had gathered to find lasting solutions to the worsening security situation in the state .

According to Disu, the order followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive that the prolonged insecurity in Benue State must be decisively addressed, assuring residents that security agencies had been mandated to take more proactive and robust action against those threatening lives and property across the state . The police chief described the insecurity in Benue State as unacceptable and a source of “sleepless nights” for residents and security agencies, noting that Benue was once known as a peaceful and hospitable state with a thriving agricultural economy but had been overtaken by violence that now threatens national food security .

Disu explained that the order is anchored on Force Order 237, the Nigeria Police Force operational guideline governing the use of firearms by officers in situations involving imminent threats to life, adding that police personnel have been fully briefed on the provisions of the order and no longer require approval from superior officers before responding to armed threats where immediate action is necessary . “We have given them instructions. We have a Force Order 237. Police officers have been instructed that they don’t need to wait for any superior order. They know where to deploy their firearms,” Disu stated, emphasizing that the directive empowers officers to act decisively in the face of armed danger without bureaucratic delays that could cost lives .

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The police chief said the directive was also aimed at protecting security personnel who have increasingly come under attack while responding to incidents across the country, lamenting the continued killing of police officers, soldiers, and other security agents by armed criminals who have shown no regard for law and order . “We are tired of losing our men. We are tired of police officers, soldiers, and other members of the security agencies dying anyhow. They have been instructed to shoot at sight. They have been trained to do what is necessary. But we will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you,” he declared, stressing that law enforcement agencies were determined to protect their officers while carrying out their constitutional duties .

Disu stressed that only members of authorised security agencies are legally permitted to bear firearms, warning that anyone found openly carrying illegal weapons would henceforth be regarded as an armed threat and treated accordingly . “You cannot move around freely carrying arms as if there is no law and order in this country. It will not be tolerated,” he said, issuing a stern warning to those who have turned the possession of illegal firearms into a status symbol or a tool of intimidation against innocent citizens .

The directive comes against a backdrop of repeated attacks by armed groups across Benue State in recent months, resulting in the loss of lives, displacement of thousands of residents, and destruction of property worth millions of naira . Just days before the IGP’s directive, gunmen attacked Ankpechi community in Ohimini Local Government Area, forcing over 1,000 residents to flee their homes and seek refuge in neighbouring communities . In another recent incident, at least eight people—including three children—were killed in Otukpo Local Government Area, with police describing the attack as “purely a terrorist attack” and launching a manhunt for the perpetrators .

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, who was present at the stakeholders’ meeting, appreciated the IGP’s visit, describing it as timely and a demonstration of the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to tackling insecurity through community policing and collaboration with state governments . Alia regretted that attacks on communities in the state had resulted in the loss of many lives, disruption of farming activities, and threats to national food security, while also commending the efforts of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies in their ongoing fight against armed groups in the state .

The IGP called on residents to support security agencies with credible intelligence, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to the fight against insecurity and the success of ongoing security operations . He noted that intelligence gathered from local residents remains one of the most effective tools in combating insecurity and dismantling criminal networks, adding that community members should see themselves as partners in the fight against crime rather than mere spectators . “The Nigeria Police Force will not succeed without the cooperation of all of you,” Disu emphasised, maintaining that officers would continue to operate within the law while taking decisive action against individuals posing immediate danger to public safety .

The development follows the IGP’s earlier warning to officers against the reckless use of firearms and abuse of power . During a police leadership engagement in Uyo, Disu had said: “Impunity ends now. Any officer who misuses his weapon, who kills a citizen without lawful justification, will be dismissed and prosecuted. Not transferred. Not queried. Not redeployed. No badge is a license to kill. No uniform is a shield from justice,” demonstrating the police chief’s commitment to balancing the use of force with accountability and respect for human rights . In a related development, the IGP reiterated the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to tackling the spread of illegal firearms across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning during a meeting with officials of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons that the continued circulation of illegal arms remains a major threat to national security and peaceful elections .

IG Orders Police to Shoot Anyone Carrying Illegal Firearms Nationwide