The Nigerian military has identified one Shariff Umar as the suspected principal coordinator of a suicide bombing network linked to recent deadly attacks, including the December 24 bombing at the Gamboru Market Mosque in Maiduguri, and attempted strikes across the North-East.
This follows intelligence-led operations by troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK)
The breakthrough came after a series of cordon-and-search operations conducted in the Kalmari area of Maiduguri on December 31, 2025, during which 14 suspects believed to be connected to suicide bombing activities were arrested.
The development was disclosed in a statement on Saturday in Maiduguri by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, who said investigations had uncovered the structure and operational linkages of the terror cell, according to Vanguard.
On the identification of Umar, the statement said, “This development followed intelligence-led cordon-and-search operations conducted at the Kalmari area of Maiduguri on 31st December 2025, during which 14 suspects linked to suicide bombing activities were arrested. Subsequent detailed identification and investigative processes established the structure, roles, and operational linkages of the terror cell.”
According to the military, a detained suspected suicide bomber, Ibrahim Muhammad, provided crucial information during interrogation, directly implicating Shariff Umar, also known as Yusuf, as the ringleader of the network.
“During the investigation, a suspected suicide bomber currently in custody, Ibrahim Muhammad, unequivocally identified Shariff Umar (also known as ‘Yusuf’) as the ringleader and coordinator of the terror network,” the statement said.
Lt. Col. Uba explained that Umar was responsible for recruiting, preparing and deploying suicide bombers, as well as coordinating logistics and the delivery of improvised explosive device components.
“According to consistent and corroborated statements, Shariff Umar was responsible for recruiting, preparing, directing, and dispatching suicide bombers to assigned targets, as well as coordinating logistics and delivery of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components.
“Investigations further revealed that Shariff Umar directly coordinated the suicide bombing attack at the Gamboru Market Mosque on 24 December 2025, during which his accomplice, Adamu (now deceased), detonated a suicide vest,” the statement said.
He was also accused of organising a foiled suicide bombing attempt in Damaturu, Yobe State.
“He was also identified as the coordinator of the foiled suicide bombing attempt in Damaturu, personally handing over IED components to the suicide bomber in Maiduguri,” the statement said.
The military said further links within the network were uncovered, including the alleged involvement of Umar’s wife, Yagana Modu, and corroboration from his stepdaughter, Amina.
The statement added, “Additional links within the network were established, including the involvement of Shariff Umar’s wife, Yagana Modu, and the confirmation by his stepdaughter, Amina, who admitted to previously seeing the suspect bomber within their residence.”
All suspects remain in custody and are undergoing intensive investigations aimed at dismantling the network and recovering any remaining explosives.
“All suspects remain firmly in custody and are undergoing intensive, multi-layered investigations aimed at fully dismantling the network, identifying additional collaborators, and recovering any remaining explosives or logistical assets,” the statement also said.
The military also called on residents to support security efforts by providing timely information.
Uba said, “OPHK underscores that this success once again highlights the critical importance of effective collaboration between security forces and the civil populace. Terrorist networks often survive by hiding within communities, exploiting silence, fear, or misplaced loyalty.
“Timely information from law-abiding citizens remains one of the most powerful tools in preventing attacks and saving innocent lives.”
Suspected Suicide bomber Ibrahim Muhammad. Photo credit: Isah Ojo
One hundred and thirty persons have been arrested after men of the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI raided a suspected fraud compound in Ghana and arrested more than 130 people.
The FBI Director, Kash Patel, disclosed this in a post shared on his official X account on Thursday.
Patel said the operation, codenamed “Operation Blackout”, was carried out in the week as part of the FBI’s efforts to dismantle global scam centres.
“OPERATION BLACKOUT: This is the FBI’s global scam-centre fraud demolition. Another takedown this week out of Ghana,” Patel wrote.
He said the operation had so far resulted in nearly $10m in identified losses, 89 victims identified, more than 130 individuals arrested or detained, including victims who would be repatriated to their home countries, and more than 300 devices seized.
“Investigation is ongoing. These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives – and this @FBI is crushing them in every corner of the world. More to come,” he said.
Patel also gave an update on the overall Operation Blackout figures, saying roughly $17bn had been seized, hundreds of alleged scammers arrested and thousands of trafficked workers freed.
He added that more than 10,000 Americans had been warned before losing their money, while an estimated $670m in losses had been prevented.
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a suspect, Adewale Arojah, identified as a prophet’s son, for allegedly impersonating a renowned cleric on Facebook and defrauding multiple victims of over N18m under the guise of offering prayers and spiritual assistance.
According to a statement by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, on Thursday, the arrest followed a complaint lodged on October 3, 2026, by Muyiwa Akogun, popularly known on Facebook as “Prophet Dr. Muyiwa Akogun”.
The command said Akogun alerted the police after members of the public complained about “fraudulent activities being perpetrated in his name through a duplicated Facebook profile.”
“Upon receipt of the complaint, the Divisional Police Officer, Ilaro Division, immediately detailed intelligence and detective operatives to track down the perpetrator,” the statement said.
It added that “through sustained technological monitoring and intelligence-led analysis, the suspect was tracked to a nearby village in Ajegunle, via the Ilaro/Ibogun axis, where he was successfully apprehended.”
The police said the suspect confessed during interrogation to impersonating the cleric on Facebook.
“During a rigorous interrogation, the suspect confessed to impersonating the real Prophet Akogun on Facebook.
“He admitted to using the cleric’s identity to deliver fake prophecies and offer prayer services to vulnerable individuals, thereby defrauding victims residing both within Nigeria and in the diaspora,” Babaseyi said.
The command said preliminary investigations showed that the suspect allegedly targeted people seeking spiritual assistance through the prophet’s Facebook page.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect systematically targeted victims seeking spiritual assistance on the said prophet’s Facebook page, gains their trust and swindled them of funds amounting to over ₦18 million,” it said.
The suspect has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The command said the investigation would be used to ascertain the extent of the crime, identify potential accomplices, and ensure possible prosecution.
The command said the arrest was part of its efforts to tackle online fraud and identity theft in the state.
“The swift arrest highlights the Ogun State Police Command’s resolve to dismantle online fraud networks, curb identity theft, and deny cybercriminals safe space to operate across the state,” Babaseyi said.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Bode Ojajuni, commended the Ilaro operatives for what the statement described as their “vigilance, tactical discipline, and swift response”.
The CP also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting residents from digital and physical threats.
The command advised members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with religious leaders and public figures on social media.
“The Command advises members of the public to exercise caution and due diligence when engaging with religious leaders or public figures on social media platforms,” the statement said.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has summoned heads of security agencies in the state to a meeting following a spike in security breaches, particularly recent killings involving rival cult groups in the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Samuel Ojo, disclosed this during an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, saying the meeting would be held on Wednesday.
Ojo said the meeting would deliberate on and address the killings by suspected cultists in the state.
He added that the meeting would also discuss measures to make forests in the state safer, in view of the recent killing of an ISWAP leader in Owo, Ondo State.
“We are holding a security meeting on Wednesday, by the special grace of God, to reassure our people and put our security agencies on their toes.
“What happened in Ondo is a lesson to those criminals hibernating in the forests.
We will not take it lightly with anyone using the forest as a hideout,” he said.
He further said, “Aside from that, we are also using the meeting to address the incessant killings by rival cult groups in the past weeks.
“We need to meet and discuss how to stop these killings by cult groups or any other violent crimes hiding under that canopy.”
The governor’s aide, who stressed the need to stop the killings to protect Osun’s corporate image, warned perpetrators of violent crimes to desist or face dire consequences.
“We need to stop it, so as not to give our state a bad name, because nobody knows what they are fighting for or why they are killing themselves,” Ojo said.
The PUNCH reports that two separate attacks by members of rival cult groups, which occurred in Osogbo, the state capital, between last Friday and Sunday, left two people dead and about five others injured.
In reaction to the latest cult attack, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, subsequently ordered tactical teams to raid suspected criminal hideouts in Osogbo.
