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ISWAP, B’Haram Clash Claims Shekau
The leader of a Boko Haram faction, Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), Abubakar Shekau, has been confirmed dead by the intelligence community in Nigeria.
Shekau was killed after a clash between his men and fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Sambisa forest.
Official intelligence report (SITREP), yesterday, confirmed the terrorist leader died, last Wednesday evening, during a battle for supremacy.
It reads, “On May 19, 2021, about 1829hours, ISWAP top fighter, Baana Duguri – on this selector – geo-located around Sambisa forest, Pulka Gwoza LGA BRS, informed ISWAP logistics commander, Modu Sulum – geo-located opposite General Hospital, Konduga LGA, Borno State, that they killed Abubakar Shekau, overall Boko Haram leader in Sambisa forest.
“Duguri disclosed that the ISWAP fighters’ team surrounded the Boko Haram leader with his team and shooting ensued between the two factions. Duguri further added that Shekau detonated a bomb, and killed himself when he observed that the ISWAP fighters wanted to capture him alive.
“Furthermore, Duguri informed Sulum that the two sides also lost some fighters during the shooting. He averred that even, yesterday, ISWAP was pursuing Abubakar Shekau, and Shekau discarded his cap and ran, but today, the pursuit continued and he was finally killed. Duguri asked Modu Sulum if the other Boko Haram members, who fled, are returning to their houses.
“In his response, Sulum rejoiced over the death of Abubakar Shekau, and glorified God over the success. He also said few Boko Haram members are returning to their houses.”
The Defence Headquarters has placed all commands and formations in Borno State on alert.
There are fears the battle between Boko Haram and ISWAP would continue.
Sources said that a statement was being awaited as military spokespersons were currently attending a capacity building workshop at the Nigerian Army Resources Centre (NARC) in Abuja.
The ISWAP, an ISIS-backed splinter group of Boko Haram, has grown in membership, influence, and boasts of high-calibre weapons.
The sect operates from territories around Lake Chad, and now occupies some sections of the Sambisa forest after the deadly assault on Shekau.
Earlier, reports had indicated that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, was seriously wounded after trying to kill himself, to avoid capture during clashes with rival Islamic State-allied jihadists in the North of the country, two intelligence sources said, yesterday.
Shekau, who made international headlines when his men kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014, has been reported dead several times since Boko Haram first began its insurgency in 2009.
After a series of clashes, Shekau and some of his fighters were surrounded, last Wednesday, by ISWAP jihadists in Boko Haram’s Sambisa forest stronghold, where they demanded he surrender, one intelligence source said.
“To avoid capture, Shekau shot himself in the chest and the bullet pierced his shoulder,” the source said, adding, “He was badly injured.”
Some of his men managed to escape with him to an unknown destination, the source added.
A second intelligence source said that Shekau was critically wounded after detonating explosives in the house where he was holed up with his men.
The Nigerian Army officials did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation of the incident.
Shekau’s critical injury or death would be a blow to his Boko Haram faction, which has already been weakened by military air strikes on its bases and defections among his men.
More than 40,000 people have been killed and over two million displaced from their homes by the conflict in North-East Nigeria, and fighting has spread to parts of neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Boko Haram and ISWAP have fought battles for control of territory in the past.
ISWAP has emerged as the stronger force, carrying out complex attacks on the military and overrunning Army bases.
Shekau took over Boko Haram, formally known as the Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, after its founder, Muhammad Yusuf, was killed by the police in 2009.
Under Shekau’s leadership, Boko Haram turned large swathes of the North-East into a no-go territory, proclaiming a “caliphate” in Gwoza in 2014.
The insurgents also took control of about 18 local government areas in Borno State until 2015.
An offensive since 2015 by Nigerian troops backed by soldiers from Cameroon, Chad and Niger drove jihadists from most of the area that they had once controlled.
Angered by Shekau’s indiscriminate targeting of civilians and use of women and children suicide bombers, a rival faction broke away in 2016 to become ISWAP with the backing of the Islamic State group.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) under the new leadership of Abu-Musad Albarnawy has taken over all territories under the control of late Abubakar Shekau in a major revenge onslaught against the former Boko Haram leader.
Sources knowledgeable about the terrorists’ groups said the ISWAP faction has arrested 30 top commanders loyal to the late Boko Haram leader.
The Commanders include: Abdul Bash, Commander of Parisu; Abu Mujaheed, Commander of Sabil Huda; Mala Ali, Commander of Farisu; Amir Hassana, Commander of Garin Dambe; Malam Bako, Commander of Hizba; Amir Halid, Commander of Njimiya Falluja; Commander Garin Mala; Abu-Fatima, Commander of Gwashke; Kaka BK, Commander of Garin Abu Asmau.
Others are Alai Bukar, Commander of Mina Ngawri; Abu-Ubaida, Commander of Jungle Gabra in Pulka; Amir Abdulrahman, Commander of Gobara; Abu Muhammad, Commander of Alava; Ali Shara, Commander of Yuwe Hanyan Bama; Amir Huzayfa, Commander of Yuwe Hanyan Welcome; Abubakar Sarki, Commander of Yuwe Hanyan Konduga; Ibn Abbas, Commander of Barin Bulla Yaga; Ali Ngule, Commander of Madara Mountain, among others.
Others are Ummati Mai Shayi, Commander of Madara Mountain; Mala Musa Abuja, the Chief Bomb Maker; Mallam Bana Sharra, Chief Judge to Shekau faction, located at Garin Mala Hassan; Dr. Baba Konduga, Chief Medical Doctor, Alava Road; Ma’azu Dan Lokodisa, the Chief Prison Officer; Alai Abba, the Caretaker of Women, Children; Mala Musa, Chief Mechanic Officer, located at Parisu; Abu Zaid, Chief Bomb Maker, located at Parisu; Abu Aisha, Special Clearance Operations Unit, Fairs; Amir Okasha, Bomb Timer, Farisu; and Amir Awana; among others terrorists.
It was gathered that following the death of Shekau, ISWAP fighters in over 30 gun trucks and dozens of motorcycles stormed Sambisa forest, forcing the Boko Haram commanders loyal to Shekau to surrender or face instant execution.
The source added that after Abu-Musad Albarnawy, who had gone underground for a while now, was reportedly re-appointed as the new leader of ISWAP in the North-East war theatre by the ISIS leadership which has become the major source of strength for the insurgents.
The source further said ISWAP stormed Shekau’s camp’s general area “following massive protests against his leadership style after he had eliminated some top Boko Haram Commanders including, Abu-Fatima, his Chief of Staff, who doubled as the Operation Commander within the past one month”.
ISWAP then concluded that with all the mistakes, Shekau was derailing against the main cause they had charted for themselves and that it was time for him to be taken out by force of arms.
Also, Albarnawi, who claimed he had received directives from the ISIS, maintained that he had been designated by the Amir al Muminin (the IS Caliph) to take over and coordinate all activities of the insurgents under one umbrella for easy movement of funds, weapons, and materials.
“The ISWAP and Boko Haram have been engaged in several infighting for superiority among factions resulting in the elimination of dozens of Boko Haram fighters from both sides within the past five years”.
News
RSG Moves To Diversify Rivers Economy …As Farmers, Others Laud Ibas Over Implementation Of RAAMP
The Rivers State Government has restated its readiness to diversify the economy of the state from oil to Agriculture.
This is as farmers and other stakeholders have commended the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd) for approving the implementation of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing project (RAAMP) in the state.
Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this during a meeting on implementation of RAAMP in Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas.
Ogolo said the programme would create an agricultural industrial hub in the 23 local government areas, and urged the people to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, rural farmers and other stakeholders in the State have lauded Ibas for approving the implementation of RAAMP in the State.
RAAMP is a world bank program with support from the International Development Association ( IDA), the French Development Agency and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
According to a statement made available to newsmen, the programme aims to strengthen the institutional and financial base for sustainable management of state and rural networks, fostering historic development to enhance food security, creating access in rural communities to boost agricultural processes through creation of durable access roads and agro logistics centres/hub.
Tide source confirms that the program has been in operation since 2020 with 19 states benefitting.
The benefitting states are Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Bauchi.
Other beneficiaries are Plateau, Kwarra, Ondo, Niger, Gombe, Anambra, Cross River, Taraba and Benue states.
The source said that 12 new states including Rivers State recently completed their requirements for inclusion into the RAAMP 3.
Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting at Isiokpo, Nchia and Omoku, headquarters of Ikwerre, Eleme and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas respectively, a cross section of farmers described the programme as timely as it would boost food production as well as create markets for agricultural produce.
At Eleme, HRH Emere J D Nkpe warned against politicising the project.
The people also complained against incessant destruction of crops by herdsmen and called for it to be checked.
Also speaking at Omoku headquarters of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area,Eze Allison Dan and Barrister Lola Nwaribe commendation the government for the program but warned against it going the way of other programmes.
For Barrister Nwaribe Women in the area needs assistance to break free from subsistence agriculture
Speaking at the three ocal government areas Ogolo said Rear Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas rtd needs to be commended for approving the implementation of the program in the state.
Ogolo said the program is aims at diversifying Rivers economy from oil to Agriculture.
He said the program will also enable farmers to move from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture, adding that access roads will not only be created to farms but markets will be built for farmers to sell their produce.
He listed other benefits to include creation of employment for the youths and helping small traders to boost sales.
Also speaking the state RAAMP Coordinator,Mr Joshua Kpakol said the “the essence of this project is to provide rural access roads and improve agricultural marketing systems across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state”
Kpakol said the project is divided into three components which are improvement of Rural Access and Trading Infrastructure, Sector Reform,Asset management and Agro logistics performance Enhancement and Institutional Development, Project Management and Risk Mitigation.
He urged farmers and traders to embrace the project as it would go along way in changing their fortunes.
At Ikwerre and Eleme local government areas respectively, the sole administrators of the two councils Hon Isaiah Christian and Dr Gloria Obo Dibiah said the councils will work towards the success of the program.
They commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Sole Administrator of Rivers state for ensuring that their respective councils benefits from the programme.
John Bibor
The FCT High Court in Abuja, yesterday, granted the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The trial judge, Justice Chizoba Orji, made the declaration in a ruling after taking arguments for and against the bail application from the parties in the suit.
The Attorney General of the Federation, in a three-count criminal charge marked CR/297/25, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan, the sole defendant, of making defamatory statements against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during a live television broadcast.
The charge, which lists Akpabio and the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as nominal complainants, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed Bello had conspired with Akpabio to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja, disguising it as a mob or local attack.
According to the Federal Government, these allegations were made during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
The Federal Government claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan knowingly or recklessly made these imputations, fully aware that they could harm the reputation of the individuals involved.
The charge alleged that she said, “Let’s ask the Senate President, why in the first instance did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks? He then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. What is important to me is to stay alive, because dead men tell no tales. Who is going to get justice for me?”
The charge also cites her statements during the programme as saying, “That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on or about the 3rd day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today programme on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, made the following imputation concerning Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.
“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night, to eliminate me. When he met with him, he then emphasised that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi. You knew or had reason to believe that such imputations would harm the reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.”
The senator is also accused of making defamatory statements about Akpabio during a telephone conversation with Sandra C. Duru in Abuja on March 27, 2025.
The alleged statement is as follows, “That girl that was killed, what’s her name, umm…. Imoren Iniubong, her organs were actually used for the wife, because the wife was really ill… when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife.”
The Federal Government contends that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan knew or ought to have known that this claim would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bello, and four others have been listed as witnesses in the trial.
The arraignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan was initially scheduled for June 3, 2025. However, the strike action of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria stalled the arraignment.
Meanwhile, a similar matter is also lodged before Justice Muhammed Umar, of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was slated for arraignment before Justice Umar, she, however, did not appear for the arraignment since the prosecution had not been able to serve her as stated in court.
The prosecution, however, applied for a bench warrant to be issued on the suspended senator, which the court refused.
At the commencement of the hearing, the counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, David Kaswe, told the Court that the matter is for arraignment of the defendant (Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan).
Natasha was docked, and the three-count read to her. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Professor Roland Otaru (SAN), afterwards informed the Court that a bail application filed on May 27 has been submitted to the court.
Kaswe, however, informed the court that the Federal Government is opposing the bail application and called the attention of the judge to a counter-affidavit filed before the court to this effect.
He proceeded to ask the court to remand the Kogi Senator in prison as she poses a flight risk.
He said, “In view of the charge, we will be asking for a remand in a correctional facility.
The defence counsel, however, interjected, stating, “We already filed an application for bail. We are in a court of law for Justice. We have a motion on Notice dated May 27, 2025. You represent the Ministry of Justice, not the Ministry of Injustice.
“If your lordship graciously will, we urge your lordship to grant the bail application. This is a case where your lordship has the discretion to grant bail, and nobody can query it, not even the president can query it. Even on self-recognition because it is not a case of murder.”
Referencing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Otaru added that anybody who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty. “And she pleaded not guilty. As she is standing there, she is innocent until proven otherwise,” he added.
Justice Chizoba Orji, after listening to both arguments, however, granted Natasha bail in the sum of N50 million, with one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has received 119 stolen artefacts from the Netherlands.
The Oba who disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin, the Edo State capital, said plans by some international cartel to re-loot the artefacts were thwarted after he prayed to God and the ancestors.
He said, “I thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting and committing to the efforts former President Buhari put in place to ensure the artifacts are not re-looted because there were groups in this country believed to be an international cartel that had all sorts of conspiracy to re-loot our artifacts.
“They stole and burnt our Kingdom. They killed my people and tried to kill their spirit and their morale. Today, the boldness, courage, and bravery of the Benin people are still there. Events of 1897 reduced that to a significant level that Sometimes when I see my people, they are afraid of the unknown.
“The return of these objects has reawakened the courage we had in our people. We do not want modern-day politics and partisan politics to diminish the courage of our people.
“The Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments has been doing wonderful work. His predecessor was part of the conspiracy to re-loot our artefacts. We had a running battle in this hall.
“I addressed my Chiefs in Benin language, and I said these artefacts belong to my ancestors, and I will not sit on the ancient throne and watch the artefacts re-looted. They would rather remain where they are than be re-looted. I thank the government of the Netherlands for working with us. This is part of the efforts to reawaken the morale and spirit of my people.
“After 1897, the kingdom was reduced. There was a government in this state that wanted to reduce the kingdom more and scatter it. I am angry when I speak about it. Why would anybody want to scatter the kingdom.
“The youths were courageous like the youths of those days. They were not afraid of anybody. I vowed that it would not happen. Not in my reign. Not while I am sitting on this throne. God heard my prayers. My ancestors heard my prayers. This throne is not partisan, but I should support what is good for my people.
“I urge the youths to be tough and strong in the face of adversity. This is not for anybody else. It is for my ancestors.”
The Benin Monarch further prayed for the return of more artefacts.
The NCMM DG, Olugbile Holloway, said the commission and the Benin Royal Palace were working hard to ensure more artefacts were returned.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, who was represented by the Secretary to State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor said his administration would continue to build necessary infrastructure to preserve the returned artefacts as well as collaborate with the Federal Government to improve the storage system for the artefacts.
The General Director of the Wereld Museum, Marieke Van Bommel, said, “The artefacts are looted, and we have a policy in the Netherlands to bring them back. We are bringing back 119 artefacts. We don’t have more. These are the collections in the Netherlands. There are more collections in Europe, but that is not up to us. They have been with us for over 100 years.”