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
18-Year-Old Herder Killed in Bassa, Suspected Irigwe Assailants Blamed
By Zagazola Makama
An 18-year-old herder, identified as Sani Ibrahim, has been killed while grazing livestock around Merimeli Village in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, with suspected Irigwe assailants blamed for the attack.
The incident occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 14, 2026, around the Kwachudu/Jebbu Miango axis.
A military source told Zagazola Makama that troops of Sector 3, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), deployed at Jebbu Miango, responded to a report of an attack and killing of a herder while he was grazing around Merimeli Village.
Upon arrival at the scene, the troops found Ibrahim’s lifeless body bearing gunshot wounds and machete cuts, suggesting that the victim had been attacked with both firearms and a sharp weapon.
The assailants had fled the area before the arrival of the troops.
Other herders who were in the company of the deceased reportedly escaped unharmed during the attack.
While preliminary accounts from the area pointed to suspected Irigwe elements as being responsible, the military sources said the identities and motives of the attackers had not been conclusively established, with investigation ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the killing.
The deceased’s remains were recovered from the scene and subsequently taken for burial by his family members.
Following the incident, troops intensified fighting patrols around the general area to prevent further attacks and deter possible reprisal violence.
The killing comes amid longstanding tensions between farming and herding communities in parts of Plateau State, where isolated attacks have continued to pose security challenges and threaten fragile peace in affected communities.
18-Year-Old Herder Killed in Bassa, Suspected Irigwe Assailants Blamed
One Killed As Troops Foil Fulani Bandits Attack on Nyerwai, Rayidi Communities in Plateau
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 4, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), have foiled an attack by Fulani Bandits on Nyerwai and Rayidi communities in Fan District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
A military source told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 11:05 p.m. on August 12, 2026, when troops deployed at Dorowa Babuje responded to reports of sporadic shootings in the two communities.
Upon arrival at the scene, the troops discovered the lifeless body of a 37-year-old man identified as Danya Nuhu.
The troops also rescued 28-year-old Abednego Davou, who had sustained gunshot wounds, alongside three cattle that were also injured by gunfire.
Preliminary findings indicated that the attack was carried out by suspected armed militias, who fled into the surrounding area upon sighting the advancing troops.
The injured victim was evacuated to the General Hospital, Barkin Ladi, for medical attention, while efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend the fleeing attackers.
The military has continued to intensify patrols across the Operation Enduring Peace Joint Operations Area, particularly around vulnerable communities, schools, places of worship and other critical national infrastructure, to prevent further attacks and maintain security.
One Killed As Troops Foil Fulani Bandits Attack on Nyerwai, Rayidi Communities in Plateau
Criminal Tiv Militia Kill Dangote Truck Driver, Woman in Benue
By Zagazola Makama
A Dangote truck driver and a woman have been killed by suspected criminal militia operating along the Kyado–Jootar road in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
The victims were reportedly found dead inside a Dangote truck during a night fighting patrol by troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE.
A security source told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about midnight on August 13, 2026, when troops conducting a night patrol along the Kyado–Jootar road discovered two lifeless bodies inside a Dangote truck with registration number OPL-1B-029 at Igbayima.
Preliminary findings indicated that the victims had been killed by a gang of suspected criminal Tiv militias believed to be involved in kidnapping for ransom in the area.
The identity of the woman and further details about the circumstances surrounding her presence in the truck were not immediately available.
The troops also recovered 11 empty casings of 7.62mm Special ammunition from the scene, indicating that firearms were used in the attack.
Following the discovery, the bodies of the deceased were evacuated to the mortuary in Kyado, while the incident was formally reported to the police for further investigation.
Troops are currently working to track down the perpetrators.
The attack point to the grim situation where commercial vehicles and other road users travelling along the Kyado–Jootar axis, where criminal Tiv elements have reportedly continued to target commuters and motorists.
Troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE are expected to sustain night fighting patrols and other security operations along the route to track down the perpetrators, prevent further attacks and reassure residents and road users of their safety.
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