Police Arrest Suspect as Youth Suffers Head Injury in Vigilante Custody

A 20-year-old man, Aliyu Nuhu, has sustained a serious head injury after members of a local vigilante group in Zaria, Kaduna State, allegedly assaulted him over claims that he stole a chicken.

The incident, which has sparked public outrage and renewed condemnation of jungle justice, reportedly occurred in Anguwar Sirdi, Limancin Kona Ward, within Zaria city.

Confirming the incident, the victim’s father, Mallam Salisu Nuhu, popularly known as Babande, accused two vigilante members of inflicting the injuries on his son during interrogation.

According to Babande, he had asked Aliyu to sell a chicken at the market, but the young man was arrested by vigilantes who accused him of theft.

“They detained him and interrogated him with severe punishment,” Babande said, adding that his son was subjected to violent treatment while in their custody.

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He explained that when Aliyu failed to return home, a vigilante member later asked him to follow him to their office, where he was informed that his son had been arrested for allegedly stealing a chicken.

Babande said the vigilantes demanded ₦5,000 as bail, but eventually allowed him to take his son home after he explained that he had no money.

It was only after returning home, he said, that he noticed serious injuries to his son’s head and was informed that a metal nail had been driven into it during the interrogation.

The family immediately returned to the vigilante office and later proceeded to a nearby chemist in the company of one of the suspects, identified simply as Nuhu. The chemist reportedly referred them to the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, after assessing the injury.

Babande said they were asked to obtain a police report before treatment could commence at the hospital.

He further disclosed that the object remained lodged in his son’s head for 13 days before doctors were able to surgically remove it, adding that the family spent over ₦800,000 on medical bills.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Aliyu Nuhu identified Nuhu Dan Banga as the vigilante member who allegedly inflicted the injury during interrogation. He said he lost consciousness during the assault.

Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Zaria City Division, Nura Abubakar, said one suspect has been arrested, while another is currently at large.

The DPO assured that the suspects would be prosecuted once investigations are concluded, stressing that mob action and vigilante abuse remain criminal offences under Nigerian law.

The incident has reignited calls for stricter regulation of vigilante groups and increased public awareness on the dangers of mob justice, especially in cases involving minor or alleged offences.

Police Arrest Suspect as Youth Suffers Head Injury in Vigilante Custody

Boko Haram Seizes Four Trailers, Rustles Over 100 Cows in Borno

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have intercepted four trailers and carted away over 100 cows in a brazen attack in Borno State, highlighting persistent security threats along major transport and livestock corridors in the North-East region.

The incident reportedly occurred in southern Borno, an area that has witnessed renewed terrorist movements despite sustained military operations by Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK).

According to local and security sources, the terrorists mounted roadblocks along a key route, stopping the trailers conveying cattle before forcing drivers and herders to abandon the vehicles. The attackers then herded the livestock into surrounding bushes, believed to be heading toward known terrorist hideouts.

Although no deaths were confirmed, the victims were said to have been traumatised, while the economic losses suffered by cattle owners and transporters are estimated to run into millions of naira.

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Security analysts note that cattle rustling has become a strategic source of funding, logistics, and food supply for Boko Haram and ISWAP, enabling the groups to sustain fighters, purchase weapons, and reward collaborators.

The attack is also seen as part of a broader effort by terrorists to disrupt food supply chains, weaken local economies, and undermine public confidence in security arrangements across rural Borno.

In response, security agencies have intensified surveillance and patrols along vulnerable routes, while intelligence-driven operations are ongoing to track the perpetrators, recover the stolen cattle, and prevent further attacks.

Residents and commercial drivers have renewed calls for the deployment of more troops, establishment of additional military checkpoints, and enhanced air and ground patrols to secure highways and grazing routes frequently targeted by insurgents.

Despite sustained counter-insurgency pressure, security experts warn that isolated attacks, cattle theft, and ambushes remain key tactics used by terrorists to test military presence and maintain relevance.

The latest attack underscores the need for continuous military dominance, improved intelligence sharing, and community cooperation to fully degrade terrorist activities and restore economic stability in Borno State.

Boko Haram Seizes Four Trailers, Rustles Over 100 Cows in Borno

OPHK Troops Neutralise 16 Terrorists, Rescue 11 Kidnap Victims in Borno

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have recorded another major operational success after neutralising 16 terrorists, rescuing 11 kidnapped victims, and dismantling key Boko Haram/ISWAP logistics networks in Borno State.

The successful military operations took place across several flashpoints, including the Maiduguri–Damboa road, Gidan Kaji axis, Konduga Local Government Area, Bukarti, Buratai, and the Chibok–Damboa axis, following actionable intelligence and swift troop deployment.

According to a statement signed by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, the latest offensive followed a failed ISWAP attack on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Auno on 5 February 2026, which was decisively repelled by troops of Sector 1 using disciplined firepower and tactical precision.

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Capitalising on the failed assault, troops of OPHK, working in synergy with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), launched a bold counter-offensive operation on 9 February 2026 along the Komala axis in Konduga LGA.

During the pursuit, the troops engaged retreating terrorists up to the Gidan Kaji axis along the Maiduguri–Damboa road, where 16 terrorists were neutralised, while several others fled in disarray with severe gunshot injuries.

The operation also led to the recovery of over 20 bicycles, alongside a large cache of weapons, ammunition, logistics items, drugs, and supplies critical to sustaining terrorist operations in the North-East theatre.

In a further blow to terrorist logistics, troops arrested suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers around the Bukarti axis, where a large quantity of drugs meant for terrorists was intercepted.

Relatedly, troops on the same day foiled a terrorist kidnap attempt along the Buratai–Kamuya–Biu road at about 5:20 pm. Upon detection, the terrorists were forced to abandon their captives and retreat into surrounding bushes.

Two victims, Mallam Idris Adamu and Mallam Muhammadu Safiyanu, were rescued and safely reunited with their families in Buratai.

Additionally, following a distress call later on 9 February 2026, troops responded swiftly along the Chibok–Damboa axis, successfully rescuing nine more kidnapped victims, bringing the total number of rescued civilians to 11.

The military said the latest successes have significantly degraded terrorist capabilities, disrupted ISWAP and Boko Haram logistics networks, and reaffirmed the commitment of Operation HADIN KAI to restoring lasting peace and security across the North-East region of Nigeria.

OPHK Troops Neutralise 16 Terrorists, Rescue 11 Kidnap Victims in Borno