metro

ISWAP Intercepts Food Meant For IDPs In Borno, Loots 4 Trucks

Published

4 years ago

July 9, 2022

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Lucky Irabor

Members of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) have attacked a convoy of 40 trucks of food meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and resettled communities in Borno and intercepted four of them, Daily Trust Saturday learnt exclusively.

The attack, which occurred Thursday night around Layi village in Mobbar Local Government Area of the state, came barely 48 hours after terrorists launched a heavy attack on Kuje Medium Security Prison in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) freeing at least 69 Boko Haram suspects and hundreds of others. The ISWAP on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack.

Top security sources who were briefed about the Borno attack told Daily Trust Saturday that the food and nutritional products consignment was on its way to Damasak.

It was part of the palliative by the World Food Program (WFP) for IDPs from Abadam and victims of the Boko Haram violence returning to their homes in Mobbar.

“The attackers were in four gun trucks. After heavy attacks on the convoy, they succeeded in intercepting four of the vehicles and emptied nearly everything from the vehicles,” the source said.

It was also gathered that the terrorists are now firming up their control of major roads and strategic areas in the southern and northern parts of Borno.

Intelligence sources in the area have reported that ISWAP members in four trucks have been deployed to Kareto village in Mobbar Local Government Area.

Terror group plans eid prayer in ‘captured’ communities, enclaves

As part of their expansionist activities, the terror groups are said to have concluded plans to conduct eid prayers in some of the areas under their control, today (Saturday).

READ ALSO:

Credible sources said like what obtained in the past years, Boko Haram members loyal to late Abubakar Shekau, and those loyal to ISWAP led by late Abu Musab Albarnawi, the son of late Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf, have, among others, cleared grounds around the shores of the Lake Chad and Sambisa forest and would observe the Eid-el-Kabir prayer there.

They, therefore, called on security agencies to checkmate the effrontery of the terrorists saying they use such festivities for massive recruitments of innocent people into their fold.

One of the sources said even though, Nigerian security forces have uprooted Boko Haram fighters from many villages and forested areas in Borno and neighbouring Yobe State, they are still lurking around in many communities.

“The terrorists are fully mobilised for celebrations at many Tunbus (islands) on the Lake Chad and their enclaves in Sambisa Forest,” he said.

Another source said the excesses of the terrorists cast Nigeria in bad light at the international level.

“It is unthinkable the way they release videos of their atrocities. Such videos show that once the terrorists go out for their operations, they would do it with ease because nobody can stop them.

“The videos they released recently after the attack on Kuje prison is one bad example that showed our weak links. And unless something is done, they would also release videos of their eid prayers.

“They would release their propaganda videos slaughtering their sacrificial animals to the chagrin of those in authority…I am calling on our security forces to act by decimating them,” he said.

Another source said with the commencement of the rainy season, Nigerian troops are constrained by environmental factors which is affecting their performance.

He said they cannot access many communities this time, paving way for the terrorists to replenish their supplies and logistics, as well as recruit vulnerable youths ahead of future fights.

He said the forces had missed a golden opportunity during the dry season when hundreds of terrorists came out of their enclaves and repented.

“Why didn’t we finish the terrorists’ campaign in the North East this year? We had thousands surrendering, weakening the fighting spirits of the terrorists, but we could not clear the Tunbus, surroundings of Timbuktu Triangle and Sambisa Forest.

“Now we are bound to wait until the end of the raining season to kick start another operation.

“Why haven’t we done enough to acquire all weather APC and AFV and constantly revert to seasonal warfare?

“Does this mean, knowing that our North East flanks or neighbours are our most vulnerable porous security concern, yet, no efforts towards acquisition of these all important weapons?

“Must we wait till tomorrow when the Chadian or Cameroonian forces enter Maiduguri before we rush to the markets?

“Is the military waiting for Buhari’s handing over before clearing the terrorists or to use it as an election campaign strategy?”, he asked.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Correctional Service has released the names and pictures of the inmates with terrorism-related cases that escaped from the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja.

READ ALSO:

The inmates escaped from the correctional centre following an attack on the facility by members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Tuesday.

The ISWAP claimed the responsibility for the attacked in a 30-second video on Wednesday.

In a statement by the spokesperson of the Service, Umar Abubakar, it was revealed that 879 inmates fled but 443 of the escapees were recaptured, bringing the total number of inmates in the facility to 578.

Also, the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi, said all the Boko Haram terrorists in the facility escaped during the attack.

However, the Service released the names and images of 69 inmates being tried for terrorism, including Abdulkareem Musa, Abdulsalam Adamu, Bello Haruna , Ismail Abdullahi , Modu Aji, Yakubu Abdullahi, Abdulmannan Obadiki, Abubakar Umar.

Others are Bassey Kingsley, Diko Iko, Fannami Bukar, Ishaq Farouq, Mohammed Buba and Mohammed Kyari.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has received briefing from security chiefs on the latest development on Tuesday’s terrorist attack on the Kuje Custodial Centre.

Confirming this to State House correspondents after the meeting of the National Security Council, presided over by the president yesterday, the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, said heads of security agencies briefed the president on what actually happened in Kuje and the way forward.

“The service chiefs have been given very clear directives to ensure that adequate measures are taken, not only to investigate what happened, but also to take steps to forestall a occurrence of such incident,” he said.

He said the security personnel deployed to man the custodial centre at Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) did their best to repel the attack but were subdued by the superior weaponry of the terrorists.

The minister, who said the terrorists succeeded because of their large number and superior firepower, stated that President Buhari had directed the service chiefs to not only ensure that adequate measures were taken after the ongoing probe into the cause of the incident, but also to take steps to forestall the reoccurrence of such incidents.

Dingyadi, who said the president expressed deep concern over the recent developments, stated that some of the assailants were killed.

He said, “Some of them were killed. But I can’t give you the number; and I don’t know the number because like they do, whenever one of them is killed, they take the corpse away, so you cannot know the number of people who have been killed. But definitely, quite a number of them were killed and many of them ran way with bullet wounds.”

He said the meeting convened by President Buhari reviewed the security situation in the country, particularly the Kuje jailbreak, banditry in Katsina, as well as the various attacks on Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

DAILY TRUST

Related Topics:Borno Featured IDPs ISWAP

Up Next

Kuje Prison attack: Boko Haram had superior weapons, number — FG

Don't Miss

Five Pastors docked for alleged kidnapping in Ondo

metro

Police Arrest 33 Suspects Over Kwara Church Attack

Published

4 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Trends Admin

Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid

Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid

Police Arrest 33 Suspects Over Kwara Church Attack

The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of 33 suspects linked to the deadly attack on the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Isegun, Eruku, in Kwara State, an incident earlier described as part of a wider network of terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery operations.

According to the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, the suspects are part of a larger group of 50 individuals being investigated for their alleged involvement in violent crimes across the country. He said the arrests were made during coordinated, intelligence-led operations carried out since January under a broader security crackdown on criminal syndicates.

The police said the suspects are linked to the November 18 attack on the Eruku church, during which armed men stormed the worship centre, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others in a violent raid that shocked the nation.

READ ALSO:

A livestream video of the incident, later circulated online, showed congregants in the middle of a church service before gunshots erupted around the premises, sending worshippers into panic as the attackers invaded the building.

The incident drew national attention, prompting swift security responses and public assurances from the Federal Government. President Bola Tinubu later announced that all abducted worshippers had been rescued following coordinated security operations.

Police spokesperson Placid said several key suspects have already been prepared for prosecution, while investigations are ongoing to track down additional accomplices and recover illegal weapons believed to have been used in the attack.

He added that the operation reflects ongoing efforts by the police to dismantle organised criminal networks operating across Kwara State and neighbouring regions, particularly groups involved in kidnappings and attacks on soft targets such as religious centres.

Authorities have not yet disclosed full identities of the suspects but confirmed that they are undergoing profiling and interrogation as part of the ongoing investigation.

Security agencies say the crackdown is part of a wider national strategy to restore public confidence and prevent further attacks on churches, schools, and rural communities.

Further updates are expected as prosecutions begin and investigations continue.

Police Arrest 33 Suspects Over Kwara Church Attack

metro

Bandits Kidnap UNIJOS Student, Circulate Brutal Video, Demand ₦30m

Published

4 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Trends Admin

A student of the University of Jos, John Arum Azi.psd

Bandits Kidnap UNIJOS Student, Circulate Brutal Video, Demand ₦30m

A student of the University of Jos, John Arum Azi, has been abducted by armed bandits along the Jos–Zaria highway while travelling from Plateau State to Kaduna State, with the attackers later demanding a ₦30 million ransom for his release.

The 28-year-old keyboard technician was reportedly kidnapped alongside six other passengers en route to Zaria in Kaduna State. Sources said Azi was travelling after being invited by a client to repair a musical keyboard when the vehicle conveying them was intercepted by armed men.

Eyewitness accounts indicate that the attackers forced all passengers into the bush before moving them to an undisclosed location. A distressing video later circulated on social media showed Azi being violently assaulted by his captors, who used sticks and other objects to beat him while recording the act.

In the viral clip, the kidnappers reportedly forced the victim to kneel and plead with his family to urgently meet their ransom demand. The video was allegedly recorded using the victim’s phone and shared in a WhatsApp group linked to his classmates, further heightening panic among students.

READ ALSO:

The kidnappers are demanding ₦30 million for his release, with negotiations said to be ongoing through unspecified channels. The fate of the other abducted passengers remains unclear at this time.

The incident has intensified concerns over rising kidnapping cases along Nigeria’s highways, particularly in the North-West and North-Central corridors, which have witnessed frequent attacks by armed groups in recent years.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kaduna State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the abduction. Security agencies are expected to launch or intensify search-and-rescue operations to track the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.

The case adds to growing calls for improved security along interstate travel routes, especially the busy Jos–Kaduna–Zaria axis, which has become a recurring hotspot for kidnappings.

Bandits Kidnap UNIJOS Student, Circulate Brutal Video, Demand ₦30m

metro

Nigerian Army Hits IPOB/ESN Hideouts in Enugu, Seizes Explosives, ₦2m

Published

4 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigerian Army Hits IPOB/ESN Hideouts in Enugu, Seizes Explosives, ₦2m

Troops of the Nigerian Army have intensified counterinsurgency operations in Enugu State, launching coordinated raids on suspected hideouts of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, Eastern Security Network, in a major security operation that led to the recovery of explosives, weapons, and ransom funds.

The operation, conducted under Operation EASTERN SANITY with air support from Operation UDO KA, targeted Ajali Forest in Ezeagu Local Government Area, a location identified by intelligence reports as a suspected operational base for armed criminal elements.

According to the Army, joint troops from Sector 1, supported by the Air Component, carried out a precision strike and clearance operation that forced suspected IPOB/ESN members to flee, abandoning key equipment and explosive devices.

During the raid, troops recovered an anti-tank Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which was immediately secured and neutralised by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team, preventing what officials described as a potential large-scale attack.

Military authorities said the successful strike demonstrated growing pressure on armed groups in the South-East, noting that sustained clearance operations have continued to dismantle suspected IPOB/ESN hideouts in Enugu forests.

READ ALSO:

In a separate intelligence-led operation in Adani, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area, troops of the 82 Division Garrison, acting on information provided by the Department of State Services, tracked financial movements linked to a suspected kidnapping syndicate.

The operation led to the interception of ransom money amounting to ₦2 million, alongside the arrest of a suspected kidnapper. A search of the suspect’s residence also led to the recovery of a pump-action rifle, further linking the suspect to armed criminal activity.

The Army stated that the suspect and recovered items have been handed over to relevant authorities for further investigation aimed at identifying and dismantling wider criminal networks.

“The operations have significantly degraded the operational and financial capabilities of criminal elements in the region,” the Army said, adding that continued pressure is forcing them into retreat and disorganisation.

Officials also confirmed that ongoing clearance missions, supported by intelligence and aerial surveillance, are being sustained across forested areas in Enugu and neighbouring states to prevent regrouping of armed cells.

The military reiterated its commitment to restoring security across Nigeria’s South-East, urging residents to support intelligence sharing and community vigilance as operations continue.