Sowunmi Faults Global Powers, Says Terrorism Intervention in Nigeria Came Too Late - Newstrends
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Sowunmi Faults Global Powers, Says Terrorism Intervention in Nigeria Came Too Late

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A former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Segun Sowunmi
Former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, Segun Sowunmi

Sowunmi Faults Global Powers, Says Terrorism Intervention in Nigeria Came Too Late

A former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Segun Sowunmi, has said international intervention in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism came far later than expected, despite global powers having long possessed the intelligence and military capability to act.

Sowunmi made the remarks on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics while reacting to recent United States airstrikes in northwestern Nigeria targeting suspected militant groups.

According to him, the global community had the technological advantage to monitor terrorist activities in Nigeria long before decisive action was taken.

“I felt that the world came in a little bit too late. The security resources available to the world suggest that they have eyes in the skies already,” Sowunmi said.

He commended the United States for acting when the situation deteriorated, while criticising other global powers for their silence.

“You must thank the United States when the chips were really down. Britain, which should ordinarily have a bigger interest, didn’t say anything. China, which has also been active here with various projects, said nothing,” he added.

Sowunmi noted that US President Donald Trump eventually authorised the operation, saying the violence had become excessive. However, he stressed that the situation was not one to celebrate.

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Describing Nigeria’s security crisis as deeply painful, he likened the killing of terrorists to a parent witnessing the death of a wayward child.

“As a parent, you won’t stand by and watch even your wayward child get killed,” he said.

He also warned of the implications had the strikes been carried out without Nigeria’s consent.

“If he had stayed in the Gulf of Guinea and fired missiles without consulting the Nigerian government, what military capabilities do we even have for deterrence?” he asked.

Sowunmi urged Nigerians across religious lines to view the moment soberly, insisting that terrorism in Nigeria should not be framed as a religious or ethnic conflict.

“Nigerians, both Muslims and Christians, need to understand this is not a happy moment,” he said.

The comments followed US airstrikes ordered on December 25, 2025, which targeted suspected Islamic State (ISIS) camps in Sokoto State, near the Niger Republic border. The operation reportedly involved Tomahawk missiles launched from US naval assets in the Gulf of Guinea, with surveillance support from MQ-9 Reaper drones.

President Trump described the strikes as a response to escalating violence, which he characterised as a “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria. The operation came shortly after the United States designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and imposed US visa restrictions on Nigerians.

Although the Nigerian government confirmed it provided intelligence support for the mission, officials expressed concern that Washington announced the strikes before a jointly agreed statement could be released. Authorities also emphasised that the operation was not religiously motivated and targeted multiple terrorist groups, including Lakurawa.

In a related development, President Bola Tinubu disclosed that Nigeria had sought military assistance from Turkey due to delays in the delivery of US-ordered military hardware, including attack helicopters.

Sowunmi concluded that Nigeria would be better served by consistently defining terrorism as criminality, warning that religious or ethnic framing only deepens division and undermines national unity.

Sowunmi Faults Global Powers, Says Terrorism Intervention in Nigeria Came Too Late

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Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead

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Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Bello Muhammad Sani,
Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Bello Muhammad Sani

Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead

Suspected gunmen have launched a deadly attack on Gebbe community in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, leaving an undisclosed number of people feared dead and several others injured.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants struck suddenly, firing sporadic gunshots that threw the community into panic, forcing residents to flee to neighbouring villages and nearby bushes for safety.

Local sources disclosed that the exact number of casualties could not be immediately ascertained due to the scale of the attack and the displacement of residents. The incident has reportedly left the community, which has not experienced such violence in years, in a state of shock and trauma.

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Confirming the incident, the Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said police operatives have been deployed to the area to assess the situation.

“The police are currently on ground to determine the number of casualties and injured persons. An official statement will be issued as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.

Some residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that security agencies have mobilised to restore calm in the area.

Meanwhile, community members have appealed to the Kebbi State Government and security agencies to provide urgent intervention, describing the attack as unprecedented in the history of Gebbe community.

Gunmen Attack Gebbe Community in Kebbi, Many Feared Dead

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Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash

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Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Katsina State Command, DSP Abubakar Aliyu

Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash

No fewer than three persons were killed and several others injured following violent clashes between youths and security operatives in Katsina metropolis, Katsina State.

The unrest reportedly began late on Friday, December 27, around 10:00 p.m., when police operatives raided suspected criminal hideouts in Sabuwar Unguwa Quarters in an attempt to arrest a suspected drug dealer identified as Uzairu, popularly known as Kuda.

According to the Katsina State Police Command, the suspect resisted arrest and raised an alarm that attracted suspected gang members, who attacked the officers in a bid to free him. During the ensuing struggle, a firearm was discharged, hitting Uzairu. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was later confirmed dead.

Tension escalated the following day during Uzairu’s funeral procession, as youths allegedly clashed again with security personnel at the graveyard. Two persons were reportedly hit by stray bullets during the confrontation.

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Police authorities confirmed that one of the victims died on arrival at the hospital, while the second is currently receiving treatment.

Amid the violence, the youths allegedly set ablaze a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) outpost and attempted to burn a nearby police outpost before security reinforcements were deployed to the area.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Katsina State Command, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, said the clashes resulted in the death of two civilians, while another injured victim is responding to treatment.

DSP Aliyu explained that during the initial raid, the police team was attacked, an operational vehicle was damaged, and several officers sustained injuries. He added that one policeman was stabbed with a knife while suspects attempted to disarm him.

“During the struggle to secure the rifle, a shot was released, hitting and injuring the suspect, who later died in the hospital,” he said.

He further disclosed that on December 28, suspected miscreants hijacked the funeral procession, attacked security personnel, burned the NSCDC outpost, inflicted a deep machete wound on a policeman, and damaged a police patrol vehicle.

The police spokesperson said calm has been restored following the deployment of additional police and NSCDC personnel to the area.

DSP Aliyu added that the Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident and appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.

Three Killed, NSCDC Outpost Burnt in Katsina Youths–Police Clash

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Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos

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Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos

Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos

At least two persons were killed and 16 others injured following a fuel tanker crash in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Sunday evening.

The accident occurred near the Polo Field Club Roundabout, close to St. Louis College, when a laden fuel tanker reportedly lost its brakes shortly after the Plateau State Specialist Hospital Roundabout and rammed into several vehicles.

Confirming the incident on Monday, the Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Peter Longsan, said emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene to prevent further casualties.

According to Longsan, 18 persons were involved in the crash. Two male adults died on the spot, while 16 injured victims were rushed to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital and Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) for medical treatment. The corpses of the deceased were deposited at BUTH.

He explained that the accident was reported to the FRSC at about 6:49pm on December 28, 2025, prompting immediate rescue operations by the FRSC in collaboration with other security and emergency agencies.

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To avert a possible fire outbreak, the area was cordoned off and traffic diverted, while security agencies prevented looting. Fortunately, Longsan said there was no spillage of petroleum products, significantly reducing the risk of explosion.

Agencies involved in the operation included the FRSC, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, Federal Fire Service, NSCDC, Operation Rainbow, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Vehicle Inspection Officers, and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria.

Following the rescue operation, the petroleum product was safely transloaded, damaged vehicles were removed, and the road was fully cleared, restoring traffic flow by Monday morning.

Commending the coordinated response, FRSC Plateau Sector Commander, Olajide E. Mogaji, praised stakeholders and community members for their cooperation and reiterated that road safety is a shared responsibility.

He urged motorists to drive cautiously, especially during the festive season, and advised the public to report emergencies using the FRSC emergency number 122.

Two Killed, 16 Injured in Fuel Tanker Crash at Polo Roundabout in Jos

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