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Going down the memory lane, I remember that in early 2014 I was the Managing Editor of the police newspaper known as THE DAWN. The paper was at that time, the only security newspaper in the country. I remember vividly that the DAWN carried a story of the arrest by the police, of some young Nigerians who were students of a university in Tripoli, Libya and who had joined the Islamic terrorist group, ISWAP. ISWAP had recruited them to penetrate some key areas of Northern Nigeria to gather information. When they were arrested, I requested that one of them be brought to my office for interview for publication in the DAWN. While myself and the Editor were carrying out the interview, I got information that the arrested student were needed by higher authorities and promptly he was whisked away from my office for further interrogation.
Before he was taken away, the suspect had disclosed that they were recruited and paid handsomely to return to Nigeria and extract information on key areas to be targeted for attack by ISWAP. I am sure most of the attacks being carried out today by ISWAP are based on intelligence passed unto the Islamic terrorist group by their accomplices and informants, especially unemployed youths. It is on record that over the years, hundreds of unemployed Nigerian youths and militants moved between the Lake Chad Basin and Libya—often using the Libya–Algeria–Mali–Niger–Nigeria trafficking corridor. Many fighters who traveled to Libya in earlier years have periodically returned to rejoin or reinforce ISWAP factions in Nigeria. This youths are unpatriotic and have no stake in the stability of the country and they are ready to sell the country. Records show that Boko Haram has used financial incentives, specifically cash, loans as a tactic to recruit unemployed Muslim youths and force them into espionage roles.Innocent youths kidnapped by terrorists are also coerced into the sect. For the records, ISWAP (the Islamic State – West Africa Province) is a major Salafi-jihadist militant group and an official branch of the Islamic State operating primarily across the Lake Chad Basin, including northeast Nigeria, Niger Republic, Chad, and Cameroon. The group originally emerged from a faction of Boko Haram (Jam’atu Ahlis-Sunna lid-Da’wati wal-Jihad, or JAS) and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State central leadership. They are ruthless, hard hearted and merciless.This explains why the terrorist group often display gory pictures of its victims. Security and counter insurgency experts are of the view that ISWAP quite often display such gory pictures to make a statement: That it is mean, hardened terrorist group. Most times ISWAP beheads its victims while others are shot at close range.Currently, the presence of ISWAP is felt in most northern part of the country. This could be gleaned from the recent coordinated terrorist attacks in parts of the region which bore the imprints of the terrorist group.For instance, on the 6 and 7 of October, ISWAP fighters launched a coordinated, multi-directional assault on the 101 Special Forces Battalion base in Kukawa Local Government Area, Borno State. Troops backed by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai repelled the attack, killing over 25 terrorists, though several Nigerian soldiers were also killed in the crossfire. Also on October 10, following intelligence on an impending ISWAP attack, the Nigerian Air Force executed a precision airstrike on the group’s enclave at Badu Village (south of Gudumbali, Guzamala LGA, Borno State). The strike neutralized more than 40 ISWAP fighters (including a high-ranking Qaid or commander) and destroyed multiple logistics vehicles and motorcycles. And on October 12, 2026 gunmen suspected to be ISWAP terrorist opened fire on a convoy escorting traders heading to market in the northwestern stste of Zamfara , killing at least 20 people.It should be noted that ISWAP had been attacking and murdering innocent Nigerians since 2009. Together with Boko Haram members, ISWAP has been unleashing unspeakable assaults on Nigerians and security personnel for 17 years now. ISWAP remains a dominant and highly active jihadist group across the Lake Chad Basin, northeastern Nigeria (primarily Borno and Yobe states), and border regions of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. It has escalated coordinated, high-impact assaults on remote military bases and supercamps, utilizing weaponized drones, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and mortar fire. Although the Nigerian Army and the Air Force had restrained it by attacking its bases, the Islamic terror group’s onslaught continues to be on the increase, disrupting lives, commerce , business and terminating innocent lives.
It is my candid view that a team comprising of the military intelligence, DSS and the police be setup to carry out the thorough interrogation on any surrendering or captured terrorist to extract information, especially operational strategies that would help the Nigerian military in the war against terrorism . I’m equally of the view that any ISWAP terrorists that are captured should be paraded on live TV. This method was used in early 80s by the Nigerian police and it hepled tremendously in curbing the activities of armed robbers. An armed robber, Tony Montana had told me during one of such live parades and interrogations that he dreaded being paraded and interrogated on live TV (see my book “DARK CLOUDS: CONFESSIONS OF NOTORIOUS ARMED ROBBERS IN NIGERIA”).
Election- related security hints:
A. Avoid political arguments at polling units
B. Don’t move about with huge cash
C. Keep a safe distance from undefined crowds or groups of people
D. Do not partake of election violence
E. Avoid bringing children to polling units
F. Report unusual activities
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G. Stay updated with issues on election day
H. Celebrate the victory of your candidate in a civil manner
I. Don’t keep late night on campaign days.
If you notice any activity or activities likely to undermine the credibility of the coming elections, contact the following security agencies via their phone numbers listed below:
1. POLICE: 07031179186
2. NDLEA: 080010203040
3. EFCC: 08093322644
4. Nigeria Customs Service:+234 703 789 1156
5. NAPTIP-08075638397
6. DSS-09153391309
7. Nigeria Army 193
