By: Fabian Apechihin

Father Atta Barkindo, Executive Director of the Kukah Centre, has urged Nigerians to confront what he described as one of the nation’s most sensitive but necessary questions — whether the country should continue operating under both the 1999 Constitution and Sharia law.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, the cleric said the current period presents “a God-given opportunity” for Nigeria to face long-avoided national issues head-on.

“This is a period for us to have the most difficult conversations we’ve always avoided in our history,” he said. “For example, should Nigeria have two sets of law — the 1999 Constitution and the Sharia law? Why can’t we have one system that everyone complies with, especially since this country claims to be secular?”

Barkindo warned that despite the growing nationwide debate, Nigeria risks missing a rare moment for meaningful reform if discussions fail to lead to action.

“People are really talking about this issue — online, offline, in markets and homes — but the danger is that this moment may pass like every other national debate, with no strategic decision taken to move the country forward,” he cautioned.

On the controversy surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments about terrorism and religious persecution in Nigeria, Barkindo urged citizens to interpret the remarks with balance rather than emotion.

He said critics were reading too much into Trump’s statement and overlooking its possible intent.

“Trump did not say Christians are killing Muslims, or Muslims are killing Christians. He also didn’t say he wants to fight Muslims in Nigeria,” Barkindo noted.

He stressed that terrorism in Nigeria affects both Christians and Muslims alike and that any genuine effort by the international community to help eliminate violent extremist groups should be seen as beneficial to all Nigerians, irrespective of religion.

“If the intention is truly to get rid of terrorists operating in Nigeria, then such intervention will help both Christians and Muslims — it will help Nigerians as a whole,” he said.

By: Fabian Apechihin

Following last week’s stark warning from U.S. President Donald Trump — who redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and threatened possible action over alleged religiously-motivated killings — Nigeria’s security agencies have visibly stepped up counter-terrorism operations across the country.

A DAILY POST review of posts from the Nigerian Army and other official sources shows a series of coordinated raids and interdictions targeting terrorist enclaves, kidnap gangs and illegal oil refineries. Below are some of the key operations carried out over the past fortnight:

• Benue (Zaki-Biam–Wukari axis) — Troops from Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) foiled a kidnap plot on November 3 and rescued 10 abductees after intelligence indicated gunmen operating a fake police checkpoint. One rescued victim was identified as Warrant Officer John Richard of the 6 Brigade Band, Jalingo; two others remain missing as searches continue.
• Borno (Mallam Fatori) — Forces under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) repelled a coordinated Boko Haram/ISWAP attack on Forward Operating Base Kangar. The insurgents used armed drones and mortars; military reinforcements backed by Nigerien aircraft overpowered the attackers. Six terrorists were neutralised and weapons, drone bombs and ammunition were recovered.
• Kano (Shanono LGA) — Soldiers thwarted a large-scale bandit incursion at Ungwan Tudu and nearby villages on November 1, killing 19 assailants after an intense firefight. Two soldiers and a local vigilante were killed; several motorcycles and phones were seized.
• Kogi (Itobe–Adumu–Ejule axis) — Troops from 12 Brigade rescued two kidnap victims and recovered ₦3.8 million in ransom during a clearance operation after credible intelligence of ongoing abductions.
• North East (Kukawa, Gwoza, Limankara) — OPHK reported crushing multiple terror attacks and preventing infiltration attempts, destroying a vehicle-borne explosive device in Kukawa and intercepting smuggled fuel and weapons in Adamawa. Five suspected collaborators were arrested in Madagali.
• Nationwide raids (Oct 31–Nov 2) — Simultaneous operations across the North East, North West, North Central and South-South resulted in the neutralisation of terrorists, the rescue of 17 kidnapped victims and the arrest of around 20 suspects. In Zamfara, 1 Brigade freed 11 abductees; coordinated efforts in Benue and Plateau recovered four more victims and saw 15 arrests.
• Bayelsa & Imo — Security teams dismantled illegal oil refining camps, recovering stolen crude and refining equipment.
• Makurdi (Benue) — OPWS raided a suspected cultists’ hideout in the North Bank area, arresting seven suspects and recovering firearms, ammunition, a laptop and traditional charms.

Officials say these operations have disrupted criminal networks, recovered materiel and rescued dozens of victims, but the security picture remains fluid. The military has increased patrols around reclaimed areas while follow-up clearance missions continue.

Commenting on the wider context, John Usanga, deputy spokesman for the League of African Ambassadors, urged stakeholders to look beyond easy religious or ethnic explanations. Speaking on Arise TV, he argued the violence also reflects territorial grabs, forced displacement and struggles over land and resources — dynamics that make the conflict resemble guerrilla warfare rather than a conventional battlefield campaign.

Usanga warned that such tactics — hit-and-run attacks where perpetrators melt back into civilian populations — require nuanced responses that minimise collateral damage. “If you try to eliminate these people without protecting communities, you risk far-reaching harm,” he said, urging focus on root causes and better intelligence-led operations rather than purely kinetic responses.

Security sources say the recent surge in operations is intended both to restore order and to signal that Nigeria will act decisively to protect its communities — a response partly inspired by the international scrutiny that followed President Trump’s comments.

By: Fabian Apechihin

A federal lawmaker, Jafaru Mohammad Ali Damisa, narrowly escaped death on Tuesday after suspected terrorists ambushed his convoy along the Lumma–Babanna road in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

Damisa, who represents Borgu and Agwara Federal Constituency, was reportedly on his way to Babanna for an official engagement when the assailants, identified as Lakurawa terrorists (locally referred to as bandits), launched a sudden attack in broad daylight.

According to witnesses, the gunmen opened heavy fire on the convoy, damaging about 11 vehicles and leaving several people wounded.

Security escorts accompanying the lawmaker engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle. Unfortunately, one soldier was killed, while several others sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. Some political aides and supporters were also injured in the crossfire.

Reinforcements from the Forward Operating Base in Babanna arrived shortly after receiving a distress call, forcing the gunmen to retreat into the surrounding forest.

Although Damisa escaped unhurt, the incident has heightened tension in the area.

Military patrols have since been intensified around the Lumma–Babanna axis, a corridor frequently targeted by armed groups.

The attack adds to growing concerns over rising insecurity in Niger State, particularly in border communities vulnerable to terrorist infiltration.