Crime
Boko Haram’s new video tactics raise national security concerns
Boko Haram’s new video tactics raise national security concerns
By: Zagazola Makama
In an era defined by the rapid evolution of digital technologies, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for public engagement, awareness creation, and communication. However, this same medium has also been weaponised by terror groups such as Boko Haram, particularly its Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’Awati wal-Jihad (JAS) factions, to fuel violent extremism and undermine national security efforts.
Zagazola has been raising alarm following spate of Boko Haram propaganda videos, notably one featuring a youthful and energetic speaker, estimated to be between the ages of 19 and 21, appearing to revive the disbanded rhetoric and style of the late Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. There were also several platforms on TikTok which job is to propagate and recycle old preaching of Muhammad Yusuf, the Founder of Boko Haram and Abubakar Shekau.
The videos, circulated widely on platforms such as TikTok and Facebook, have not only praised the resilience of the jihadist movement but also openly criticised the Nigerian government and its armed forces.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert monitoring developments in the Lake Chad region, described the development as “a dangerous trend capable of influencing vulnerable minds, inciting hatred against the state, and reinvigorating terrorism recruitment channels, especially among urban sympathizers.”
One of the central figures in the new video wave is allegedly an ardent follower of Bakura Doro, also known as Abu Ummaima, a senior commander of the JAS faction. However, intelligence observers are questioning the credibility and coherence of his message. “It is strange that an alleged JAS loyalist is speaking on behalf of ISWAP, a rival group that has repeatedly clashed with JAS,” a senior security source noted. “It suggests that the speaker may not be a frontline fighter, but rather an urban propagandist exploiting social media to sow confusion and fear.”
This comes amid heightened security tension in Borno State following renewed attacks by ISWAP on military positions and recent civilian killings in Mallam Karamti and Dawashi areas. In contrast, JAS has maintained a relatively lower profile since their last major confrontation with Chadian troops in 2024.
The disturbing development coincides with a broader national conversation on digital regulation and cyber monitoring, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections. Analysts warn that allowing such inflammatory content to thrive online not only emboldens terror groups but also poses grave implications for national stability, as hostile actors may leverage the content to erode public trust in democratic institutions.
“The fact that terror sympathisers can trend such messages unchecked is a glaring indictment of our current digital response capabilities,” Makama said. “These individuals must be tracked, their platforms dismantled, and the content removed without delay.”
There must be an improved coordination among the Nigerian Police, the Defence Intelligence Agency, and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to map out and neutralize digital terror cells.
We must invest in cutting-edge surveillance and artificial intelligence tools to identify these digital propagandists. They are as dangerous as gunmen in the field. The battlefront has shifted; modern warfare is now fought with both bullets and bandwidth,” Zagazola warned.
He added that Nigerian authorities have in the past succeeded in working with global social media giants to remove extremist content. However, experts say the country must now institutionalise a domestic capability to detect, counter, and neutralise online threats in real time.
The National Orientation Agency and the Ministry of Communications are also being urged to scale up counter-narratives, promote digital literacy among citizens, and provide accurate, timely updates to counteract disinformation.
The time has come for Nigeria to treat the digital domain as an active battlefield one that requires as much vigilance, strategy, and firepower as any other theatre of conflict. The war is no longer only in the forests of Sambisa or the shores of Lake Chad; it is also on the screens of millions.
Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region
End
Boko Haram’s new video tactics raise national security concerns
Mob Sets Tricycle Ablaze After Suspected Phone Snatchers Attack Woman in Jos
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives under Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have restored order following a public disturbance and mob action at Zololo Junction in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
A security source said troops responded at about 1:00 p.m. on June 15 after receiving reports that suspected criminals operating in a commercial tricycle (Keke NAPEP) had robbed a female passenger of her mobile phone and pushed her out of the moving vehicle.
The source disclosed that the incident triggered outrage among bystanders, who intercepted the tricycle and apprehended two suspects.
According to the source, the angry mob set the tricycle ablaze in retaliation.
Security operatives of Keystone intervened promptly and rescued the suspects from being lynched, subsequently handing them over to the police for further investigation and necessary action.
The source added that normalcy was restored to the area, with free flow of traffic re-established shortly after the intervention.
Authorities cautioned residents against taking laws into their own hands and urged the public to report criminal activities to security agencies for proper action.
Mob Sets Tricycle Ablaze After Suspected Phone Snatchers Attack Woman in Jos
Troops Neutralise Suspected Kidnapper While Attempting Escape in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP) have neutralised a suspected kidnapper and cattle rustler while he was allegedly attempting to escape from custody in Plateau State.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect, identified as Samaila Shuibu, had earlier been arrested with arms at Hurti community in Bokkos Local Government Area of the state.
The sources said the incident occurred on Saturday while troops of Sector 5, Operation ENDURING PEACE, were transporting the suspect to the Joint Task Force (JTF) headquarters in Jos for further investigation and possible prosecution.
According to the sources, the military vehicle conveying the suspect developed a flat tyre along the route, prompting the troops to stop and replace it.
“During the process of changing the tyre, the suspect reportedly jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to escape.
“The troops immediately pursued him, and he was neutralised during the ensuing encounter,” a security source said.
The source added that three rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition were expended during the operation.
Military authorities said the movement and subsequent operation were conducted without any further incident.
They noted that troops deployed under Operation ENDURING PEACE remain committed to ongoing efforts aimed at tackling kidnapping, cattle rustling and other criminal activities across Plateau State and its environs.
Troops Neutralise Suspected Kidnapper While Attempting Escape in Plateau
Brazil-Based Businessman Held as NDLEA Uncovers Cocaine-Soaked Shirts at Lagos Airport
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a Brazil-based Nigerian businessman at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after discovering shirts and towels allegedly impregnated with liquid cocaine in a major anti-narcotics operation that also led to the seizure of over two tonnes of illicit drugs across the country.
The suspect, 41-year-old Abugu Ikechukwu, was arrested upon arrival from São Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight. NDLEA said a detailed examination of his luggage uncovered 14 shirts and towels soaked in liquid cocaine, dried and carefully ironed to evade detection.
The spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, said forensic analysis revealed the concealed narcotics weighed 6.1 kilogrammes.
Abugu reportedly told investigators that he had lived in Brazil for more than 14 years where he operates an African restaurant and had travelled to Nigeria to visit his family and purchase food supplies for his business.
The arrest was part of a nationwide crackdown that saw NDLEA operatives recover massive consignments of cannabis, tramadol and other controlled substances in multiple states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In a development highlighting the growing reach of drug trafficking networks, the agency also arrested two persons living with disabilities for alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade. A 60-year-old woman, Chidimma Sunday, was taken into custody in Abia State after being caught with 1.8 kilogrammes of skunk, while 28-year-old Abubakar Usman was arrested in Rivers State with cannabis, methamphetamine, tramadol, diazepam and other prohibited substances.
In Taraba State, NDLEA operatives raided the warehouse of a suspected drug kingpin, Ali Adamu, at Maihula village in Bali Local Government Area, where 63 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,121.5 kilogrammes were recovered.
Another major haul was recorded in Lagos where operatives seized 1,102 kilogrammes of Ghana Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, around the Alaba International Market in Ojo.
The agency also intercepted a vehicle along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara State carrying 304 kilogrammes of compressed cannabis blocks concealed in a Toyota jeep. Two suspects, Nasiru Hamza and Muhammad Sani, were arrested in connection with the shipment.
In Abuja, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Gwagwalada Expressway arrested Emmanuel Nnadi and recovered thousands of pills of tramadol, pregabalin and ecstasy, as well as hundreds of bottles of codeine-based syrup.
Other operations in Delta, Gombe and Kano states resulted in the arrest of several suspected traffickers and the seizure of additional consignments of cannabis and pharmaceutical opioids.
Beyond enforcement activities, the agency said it sustained its nationwide War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitisation programmes in schools, communities and traditional institutions across several states.
Meanwhile, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Buba Marwa, commended officers involved in the operations, describing the seizures and arrests as further evidence of the agency’s commitment to reducing drug supply while intensifying public awareness against substance abuse.
He urged commands across the country to sustain the momentum and continue surpassing previous operational records in the fight against illicit drugs.
Brazil-Based Businessman Held as NDLEA Uncovers Cocaine-Soaked Shirts at Lagos Airport
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