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Explosion kills ISWAP bombmakers, foreign IED experts in Borno
Explosion kills ISWAP bombmakers, foreign IED experts in Borno
Five suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including a medical officer and four alleged improvised explosive device (IED) specialists, have reportedly been killed in a premature explosion while assembling explosives in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources said the explosion occurred at Maina Daya village, located between Sabon Tumbu and Jubilaram in the Marte axis, an area within the wider Lake Chad region where ISWAP has maintained a presence.
According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, those killed included an ISWAP medical officer identified as Usman Dan Fulani, two foreign nationals described by the sources as Arab IED technicians, and two suspected bomb-making specialists.
The identities and nationalities of the foreign nationals had not been independently confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
Sources said the suspected ISWAP members were assembling improvised explosive devices when the explosives detonated unexpectedly.
The group was reportedly preparing the devices for possible deployment along strategic military supply routes in Sector 1 of Operation HADIN KAI, raising concerns that the explosives may have been intended for attacks on security forces or vehicles operating in the area.
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The explosion reportedly destroyed the location where the devices were being assembled and prevented the suspected explosives from being deployed.
Security analysts said the deaths of experienced bombmakers could represent a significant setback to ISWAP’s IED network, particularly in the Marte-Monguno axis, where explosive devices have been used to target military patrols, security convoys and major transport routes.
However, analysts also noted that the long-term impact of the incident would depend on the group’s ability to replace the personnel and restore its technical capacity.
The development comes amid sustained military operations aimed at disrupting terrorist networks, destroying logistics facilities and limiting the movement of insurgents across Borno State and other parts of the North-East.
ISWAP has continued to use roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices as part of its campaign against military formations, security personnel and civilian targets in the Lake Chad region.
Military sources said troops under Operation HADIN KAI had been directed to take advantage of the development by intensifying patrols, intelligence gathering, cordon-and-search operations and targeted offensives across the Monguno, Marte and Gamboru Ngala areas.
The operations are expected to focus on preventing surviving members of the suspected network from regrouping, relocating their activities or rebuilding their IED-manufacturing capacity.
Security forces are also expected to strengthen surveillance along routes that have previously been targeted with explosive devices.
The Nigerian military has continued to carry out intelligence-led air and ground operations against suspected ISWAP camps, logistics hubs and movement corridors across Borno.
While the latest explosion may temporarily disrupt the group’s operations, security analysts said sustained military pressure, improved intelligence gathering and continued collaboration with local communities would be necessary to prevent ISWAP from rebuilding its explosives network.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian military had not issued an official statement confirming the incident, the identities of those killed or the reported involvement of foreign IED technicians.
Explosion kills ISWAP bombmakers, foreign IED experts in Borno
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Tears In Ebonyi Community As Newlyweds, Groom’s Mother, Seven Others Perish In Crash
Tears In Ebonyi Community As Newlyweds, Groom’s Mother, Seven Others Perish In Crash
A wedding celebration has turned into a devastating tragedy after a newly married couple, the groom’s mother and seven other people reportedly lost their lives in a fatal road accident while returning from a marriage ceremony in Ebonyi State.
The accident, which reportedly occurred around 9pm last Friday, claimed nine lives, leaving two families and their communities in deep mourning.
The victims included the bride and groom, the groom’s mother, Augustina Okabekwa, as well as other relatives and friends who had reportedly accompanied the family to the marriage ceremony.
According to a report by The Eagle, the victims were returning from Abakaliki, where the marriage ceremony had taken place, when the tragic incident occurred.
A family member of the groom, identified as Nwada Ijeoma, recounted the devastating incident during a visit to the Okabekwa family compound in Amudo Umueze, Iseke, the groom’s hometown.
Ijeoma, who is married and resides in Nnewi, Anambra State, said she rushed to the family compound after receiving news of the tragedy to ascertain what had happened.
Speaking in Igbo, she expressed shock and grief over the incident, describing it as a devastating blow to the family.
She explained that she was initially unaware that members of her family had travelled to Abakaliki on Friday for the marriage ceremony of one of their sons.
According to her, the ceremony reportedly ended late, forcing the wedding party to begin their return journey at night because of the distance involved.
She said information available to the family suggested that the vehicle conveying the victims was involved in a collision with a trailer.
However, she stressed that the exact circumstances surrounding the crash remained unclear, including whether the vehicle rammed into the trailer or the trailer collided with the victims’ vehicle.
Among those reportedly killed was the groom’s mother, Augustina Okabekwa, popularly known as Okwuruoka, who was said to be the president of the Christian Women Organisation (CWO).
Others identified by the family member included Jude Okabekwa, the groom’s brother-in-law, and Okaka, the groom’s younger brother.
She also disclosed that the tragedy wiped out several members of the extended family, including their only son from another household.
According to her account, three of the deceased were from Onitsha, Anambra State, while five others were from the groom’s family compound.
The report, however, did not provide the identities of all the victims or clarify the circumstances surrounding the remaining casualty.
The tragedy has reportedly plunged the Okabekwa family and the wider Iseke community into mourning, with the family struggling to come to terms with the devastating loss.
What was expected to be a joyful occasion marking the beginning of a new chapter for the newly married couple has instead ended in an unimaginable tragedy.
As of the time of the report, further details about the accident, including the identities of all the victims and the official circumstances surrounding the crash, had yet to emerge.
Tears In Ebonyi Community As Newlyweds, Groom’s Mother, Seven Others Perish In Crash
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Kogi: Troops Destroy Kidnappers’ Hideout, Recover 1,000 Rounds of Ammunition, Six Motorcycles
Troops of the Nigerian Army have destroyed a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Edimogbo Forest, Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State, recovering 1,000 rounds of ammunition, six motorcycles and other items during an offensive operation.
The operation, according to the Army, followed credible human intelligence indicating that suspected kidnappers were hiding in the forest.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Appolonia Anele, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the troops recovered a substantial cache of ammunition and other materials from the criminal camp.
Anele explained that the suspected criminals opened fire to alert other members of their group after sighting the advancing troops before fleeing into the forest.
She said the soldiers immediately pursued the fleeing suspects deep into the forest, but were unable to establish contact with them.
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“The troops immediately pursued the fleeing criminals deep into the forest, but no contact was made. The troops, however, destroyed the criminal camp, including all supportive structures,” she stated.
According to the Army spokesperson, the recovered items included 1,000 rounds of 7.62mm x 54 ammunition, seven bandoliers, two shovels, a hand pump, a mobile phone, a Glo modem and six motorcycles.
Other items recovered from the hideout included soap, a jerrycan containing petrol, clothing and pairs of shoes.
The Army said troops were still combing the forest and surrounding areas in an effort to track down the fleeing suspects.
The operation forms part of ongoing military efforts to dismantle criminal hideouts, disrupt the activities of suspected kidnappers and improve security across Kogi State.
The recovery of the ammunition and motorcycles is expected to provide further intelligence on the activities and possible movements of the suspected criminal group.
However, the Army did not disclose whether any arrests had been made in connection with the operation as of the time of the announcement.
Kogi: Troops Destroy Kidnappers’ Hideout, Recover 1,000 Rounds of Ammunition, Six Motorcycles
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Nasarawa: Suspected Kidnapper Arrested While Collecting N200,000 Ransom
Troops of the Nigerian Army, working in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected kidnapper while allegedly collecting a ₦200,000 ransom from a female resident of Nasarawa State.
The suspect, identified as Mukaila Iliyasu, was apprehended at Akwaba in Eggon Local Government Area during an intelligence-led operation involving troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, and DSS personnel.
The arrest followed intelligence reports that Iliyasu had allegedly threatened to abduct a woman unless she paid him ₦200,000.
The Acting Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu Zubairu, confirmed the arrest in a statement.
According to the statement, DSS operatives alerted the military to the alleged threat on October 29, prompting a coordinated operation to track down the suspect and prevent the planned abduction.
As part of the operation, a soldier reportedly went undercover and posed as the person assigned to deliver the ransom.
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The security operatives subsequently arrested Iliyasu while he was allegedly collecting the money.
They also recovered ₦200,000, believed to be the ransom demanded from the intended victim.
The military described the operation as a successful intelligence-led intervention that prevented a possible kidnapping, highlighting the importance of cooperation among security agencies in tackling criminal activities.
Following his arrest, the suspect was handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke and General Officer Commanding 5 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Moses Kolo Gara, commended the troops and DSS operatives for their professionalism, courage and effective coordination during the operation.
Gara urged security personnel to sustain their collaboration and strengthen intelligence sharing to tackle kidnapping and other security threats across their areas of responsibility.
He also stressed the importance of continued inter-agency cooperation in protecting lives, safeguarding communities and maintaining peace across the region.
Nasarawa: Suspected Kidnapper Arrested While Collecting N200,000 Ransom
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