Troops Crush Four-Front ISWAP Assault, Kill Over 25 Terrorists In Borno

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled a coordinated ISWAP attack on a military position in Kukawa, Borno State, with the Nigerian Army reporting that more than 25 terrorists were neutralised during the fierce encounter.

The ISWAP terrorists reportedly launched the attack on troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion from four different directions in an apparent attempt to overwhelm the military position.

The troops responded with superior firepower, tactical manoeuvres and coordinated battlefield operations, supported by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai. The military said the counter-offensive inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers and forced surviving fighters to flee.

According to Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), a preliminary assessment indicated that over 25 terrorists were neutralised, while 14 bodies had been recovered from the battlefield.

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The Army also said troops recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including six AK-47 rifles, during an exploitation operation after the attack.

Further operations were underway to recover additional weapons, track the fleeing terrorists and prevent them from regrouping, the military said.

The encounter, however, came at a cost to the military, as the Army confirmed that some soldiers were killed during the fierce fighting.

The Nigerian Army expressed condolences to the families of the fallen personnel, commending their courage and sacrifice in the fight against terrorism.

The successful repulsion of the attack, the Army said, demonstrated the combat readiness and resilience of troops operating in the North-East Theatre, while highlighting the importance of air-ground coordination in disrupting terrorist operations.

The latest clash adds to ongoing military efforts to maintain pressure on ISWAP and other armed groups operating in Borno and the wider Lake Chad Basin.

The Army said its troops would continue offensive operations, intelligence-led patrols and coordinated actions with other security agencies to disrupt terrorist networks, prevent regrouping and protect communities in the region.

Troops Crush Four-Front ISWAP Assault, Kill Over 25 Terrorists In Borno

Yayi, Adebule, Muslim Leaders, Others for Imodi-Ijebu Turbaning, ₦1bn Fundraiser

• The Nation’s Adebanjo, ex-Dean, ex-NAHCON chief, 17 others to be turbaned Saturday

Prominent political, religious and community leaders, including Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi; Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule; National Missioner of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad; and Grand Mufti of the Conference of Islamic Organisations, Sheikh Dhikrullah Shafi’i, are expected at the turbaning ceremony of the Imodi-Ijebu Muslim Community in Ogun State on Saturday.

The ceremony, scheduled for 10am at the Tititlayo Agbaje Memorial Comprehensive High School (TAMCO), Imodi-Ijebu, will also feature a major ₦1 billion fundraising campaign aimed at advancing education and empowerment initiatives within the Muslim community.

Senator Adeola, the Ogun State APC governorship candidate, will serve as the Chief Launcher, while the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mabtech Electrical Engineering Services Limited, Abuja, Alhaji Engr. Abdul Waheed Yusuf, will be the Co-Launcher.

The Bashorun of Offa Kingdom, Alhaji (Dr) Najeemdeen Usman Yasin, is Chairman of the Day, while the Olumodi of Imodi, High Chief Musibau Adewale Okusajo, will serve as the Royal Father of the Day.

Other Fathers of the Day are Alhaji G.O. Mustapha, Alhaji Ogunwo Daud Owolabi and the Baba Adeen of Lagos, Alhaji Sikiru Alabi Macfoy.

The Mothers of the Day include Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule, representing Lagos West Senatorial District, and the Ogun State APC Deputy Governorship candidate, Alhaja Kudirat Adegunwa Balogun.

Among the Special Guests of Honour are the President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo; Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of MTN Nigeria, Mr Modupe Kadri; and Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu Fatai.

The National Missioner of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad, will deliver the Guest Speaker’s address, while former Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Zikrullah Olakunle Hassan, and the Grand Mufti of the Conference of Islamic Organisations, Sheikh Dhikrullah Shafi’i, will deliver keynote addresses.

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The Chief Imam of Imodi Central, Fadhilat Sheikh Mos’ud Akorede Titilope Raheem, is the host of the ceremony.

Olufowobi, Adebanjo, Sanni, others to receive titles

The event will also witness the conferment of traditional Islamic titles on distinguished members of the community and prominent personalities whose contributions to Islamic affairs and community development have been recognised.

Among the honourees is former Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Science, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Dr Chief Abdulfattah Owolabi Olufowobi, who will be installed as Baba Adeen of Imodi-Ijebu.

Senior Correspondent with The Nation Newspaper and National Secretary-General of the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA), Alhaji Tajudeen Adegboyega Adebanjo, will receive the title of Giwa Adeen of Imodi-Ijebu.

Also to be honoured is the retired Director of Procurement at NAHCON, Alhaji Ishaq Sanni, who will be installed as Aare Adeen of Imodi-Ijebu.

Other nominees include Alhaja Hafsat Gbadamosi, Otun Iya Sunnah; Chief Ibraheem Opeyemi Mustapha, Otun Arowasadinni; Chief Araazim Ambali, Akeweje Adeen; Alhaji Abdul Wakeel Akorede Baoku, Alatunse Adeeni; Alhaja Sherifat Epenuse, Iyalode Adeen; Alhaja Arowolo Risikat, also known as Alawofin, Otun Asiwaju Adeen Obirin; and Chief Abdul Mojeed Agbaje, Otun Mogaji Adeen.

The titles are expected to go beyond ceremonial recognition, with the recipients saddled with responsibilities to contribute to the spiritual, educational and social advancement of the Muslim community.

They are also expected to support initiatives promoting unity, youth development, education, welfare and sustainable development in Imodi-Ijebu.

Community targets ₦1bn for education, empowerment

A major attraction of the ceremony is the ambitious ₦1 billion fundraising initiative for education and empowerment, designed to strengthen human capital development in the community.

The initiative is expected to support educational opportunities, empower young people and create sustainable avenues for socio-economic advancement.

Beyond raising funds, the project underscores the community’s growing emphasis on investing in its people, particularly through education, skills development and empowerment programmes capable of producing long-term benefits.

A community with deep Islamic heritage

Imodi-Ijebu has a long-standing Islamic heritage, with Islamic scholarship, worship and education playing significant roles in the community’s development over the years.

The growth and sustenance of Islam in the area have been driven by the contributions of Imams, scholars, families and community leaders who have supported religious education, established institutions and promoted Islamic values.

The Muslim community has also continued to place emphasis on unity, moral development, education and service while maintaining strong ties with the wider Imodi-Ijebu community.

The Saturday ceremony is therefore expected to combine the preservation of that Islamic heritage with a renewed commitment to education, empowerment, leadership and community development.

Yayi, Adebule, Muslim Leaders, Others for Imodi-Ijebu Turbaning, ₦1bn Fundraiser

Death Sentence: Kogi Court Convicts 24-Year-Old of Killing Father

A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has sentenced 24-year-old Dahiru Yusuf Abbah to death by hanging for the killing of his father, Dahiru Yusuf.

Justice M.M. Gwatana handed down the sentence after finding that the prosecution had proved the case of culpable homicide against Abbah beyond reasonable doubt.

The court heard that the incident occurred on October 5, 2024, in the Sarkin-Noma area of Lokoja, when Abbah allegedly attacked his father and inflicted stab wounds on his chest and back.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment but died on October 9, 2024, from injuries sustained during the attack.

Abbah was subsequently arrested and arraigned on charges of culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy under Sections 221 and 97(1) of the Kogi State Penal Code, 2019, as amended.

During the trial, the prosecution called nine witnesses, including the deceased’s wife, Hajia Jumai Dahiru, and two of the defendant’s siblings.

Several exhibits were also presented before the court, including a blood-stained shirt, blood samples, a knife, a digital forensic report and a compact disc analysis.

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Although none of the prosecution witnesses testified that they directly saw Abbah stab his father, the court found that the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution was sufficient to establish his involvement in the killing.

Justice Gwatana said the evidence, including the defendant’s blood-stained clothing and testimonies from members of the deceased’s family, linked Abbah to the fatal attack.

The court also considered the defendant’s failure to call a witness in his defence, apart from an Islamic cleric whose testimony about an inheritance dispute was considered unrelated to the central issue before the court.

The judge said the case before the court was a matter of culpable homicide, not an inheritance dispute.

Justice Gwatana convicted Abbah of culpable homicide but discharged him on the separate criminal conspiracy charge, ruling that the prosecution had not established that count to the required standard.

The court subsequently sentenced him to death by hanging for the killing of his father.

However, the judgment is not necessarily the end of the legal process. Defence lawyers Mohammed S. Inuwa and Mohammed S. Maihaja indicated that their client would appeal the conviction and sentence.

The defence reportedly challenged aspects of the evidence relied upon by the court in reaching its decision.

Meanwhile, Yusuf Bala, head of the deceased’s family, welcomed the judgment and said the family had been seeking justice for the victim.

The case could now proceed to the appellate courts if the defendant files the proposed appeal.

Death Sentence: Kogi Court Convicts 24-Year-Old of Killing Father