Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: counterinsurgency

  • Video plea emerges as Boko Haram reportedly demands ₦423m ransom for abductees

    Video plea emerges as Boko Haram reportedly demands ₦423m ransom for abductees

    Reporting by The Guardian Nigeria indicates a viral video shows two men—said to have been abducted by Boko Haram/ISWAP—pleading for help, with a reported ransom demand of $150,000 per person.

    The report says the victims were taken while travelling in Borno and that the ransom demand totals about ₦423 million, reflecting the continuing kidnapping-for-cash economy around the insurgency corridor.

    Security analysts note ransom payments can create perverse incentives and fund further violence, but families and communities often face impossible choices under time pressure.

    Authorities are under renewed pressure to improve route security, intelligence penetration of insurgent networks, and safe rescue capability.

    Echotitbits take: The big watch is operational response—intel-led rescues and disruption of ransom pipelines. Also watch for better travel advisories and secured corridors for high-risk routes.

    Source: GlobalUpFront – https://globalupfront.com/2026/01/11/boko-haram-terrorists-demand-n423m-ransom-to-release-borno-ex-lga-vice-chairman/ 11 January 2026

    GlobalUpFront  2026-01-11

    Photo Credit: The Times of Israel

  • Nigerian Air Force claims 2,351 terrorists killed in 2025 air campaign

    Nigerian Air Force claims 2,351 terrorists killed in 2025 air campaign

    2026-01-01 07:30:00
    Figures cited by Punch show the Nigerian Air Force says it neutralised 2,351 terrorists in 2025 through sustained air interdiction operations across multiple theatres.

    The service said repeated sorties were aimed at severing supply chains, disrupting movement corridors, and weakening leadership structures across key conflict zones.

    Beyond counter-terror missions, the NAF also highlighted operations targeting oil theft infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

    The Whistler quoted the NAF describing the campaign as “Sustained precision strikes” that “disrupted supply chains.”

    The Guardian Nigeria also reported targeted strikes led to the destruction of illegal refining reservoirs and related assets.

    Echotitbits take:

    Headline numbers need verification. Watch whether 2026 sees fewer mass abductions and attacks in high-risk corridors, and whether air gains are matched by ground holding operations and community intelligence.

    Source: The Punch — January 1, 2026 (https://punchng.com/2351-terrorists-killed-in-2025-air-raids-naf/)

    The Punch 2026-01-01

    Photo Credit: The Punch

  • FG prepares deployment of 7,000 forest guards across northern states

    FG prepares deployment of 7,000 forest guards across northern states

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-28 09:00:00

    In a report published by Punch, the federal government said thousands of newly recruited forest guard operatives have completed training ahead of deployment across northern states.

    The initiative is presented as part of a wider push to curb banditry and improve security in forested corridors often linked to armed groups.

    TheCable’s newspaper roundup said “7,000 newly recruited forest guards… have completed a three-month intensive training programme,” reflecting how multiple dailies framed the move as a new layer in the security architecture.

    Echotitbits take: The headline number is less important than command-and-control, rules of engagement, funding, and coordination with police, DSS and the military. Watch whether the programme becomes community-embedded intelligence—or just another uniformed layer with unclear accountability.

    Source: The Punch — December 27, 2025 (https://punchng.com/fg-to-deploy-7000-forest-guards-in-north/)

    The Punch 2025-12-27

  • NAF fast-tracks 24 M‑346 fighters and new helicopters as air power upgrade accelerates

    NAF fast-tracks 24 M‑346 fighters and new helicopters as air power upgrade accelerates

    Photo Credit: The Nation
    2025-12-27 06:00:00

    Reporting by The Nation indicates the Nigerian Air Force is intensifying plans to acquire 24 M‑346 fighter ground‑attack aircraft alongside helicopters and additional UAVs to strengthen operational readiness.

    The report linked the planned fleet upgrades to persistent security pressures, including banditry and insurgent threats, where faster surveillance-to-strike cycles and better air mobility can be decisive.

    Defence watchers say the real test will be sustainment—training pipelines, spares, maintenance contracts, and mission availability rates—so the announced numbers translate into predictable air support in hotspots.

    Echotitbits take:
    Nigeria’s airpower plan sounds ambitious, but procurement alone doesn’t win campaigns. Track timelines, basing, pilot/crew training, and whether maintenance funding is ring‑fenced. Also watch how UAV integration changes intelligence and civilian‑harm mitigation.

    Source: The Nation — December 27, 2025 (https://thenationonlineng.net/naf-to-acquire-24-new-aircraft-uavs-to-boost-operational-readiness/)
    The Nation December 27, 2025

  • Borno operation: troops disrupt suspected ISWAP logistics with vehicle interception

    Borno operation: troops disrupt suspected ISWAP logistics with vehicle interception

    Photo credit: Daily Post Nigeria
    2025-12-20 12:30:00

    In a report carried by Punch, Nigerian troops in Borno intercepted vehicles allegedly transporting logistics meant for ISWAP, highlighting how insurgents still depend on supply lines and local procurement networks.

    Targeting logistics can have outsized impact: cutting fuel, tyres, parts and food flows can degrade mobility, reduce operational tempo and force insurgent cells into riskier behaviour.

    The incident was described as intelligence-led, with seizures that may help map facilitators, routes and financiers supporting terror activity.

    Even where no high-profile commanders are caught, interdictions like this can provide leads for follow-up raids and arrests.

    The Nigerian Army’s official updates described the action as part of efforts to cut terrorist resupply and degrade operational capacity.

    TheCable also reported the interception and noted it formed part of intensified pressure on insurgent logistics networks.

    Echotitbits take: Sustained interdictions matter more than one-off seizures. Watch for rapid exploitation of seized items (phones, receipts) and for any retaliation attempts on affected routes. Long-term success hinges on surveillance, informant protection and follow-through arrests.

    Source: Daily Post Nigeria— December 20, 2025 https://dailypost.ng/2025/12/20/troops-intercept-vehicles-carrying-suspected-iswap-supplies-in-borno/

  • Nigeria moves to buy 24 M‑346 fighter jets in €1.2bn deal to bolster counter‑insurgency

    Nigeria moves to buy 24 M‑346 fighter jets in €1.2bn deal to bolster counter‑insurgency

    Photo Credit: Punch
    2025-12-17

    According to multiple reports, the federal government is advancing a €1.2 billion procurement for 24 M‑346 fighter jets as part of a wider push to strengthen air power against insurgency, banditry and kidnapping threats.

    The acquisition is expected to include training, logistics and longer‑term maintenance support, a key factor for keeping aircraft operational in difficult theatres.

    If delivered on schedule, the jets could expand Nigeria’s precision‑strike and surveillance capacity, particularly in the North‑East, while easing pressure on older platforms and improving pilot training pipelines.

    The real impact, however, will depend on basing, sustainment budgets, intelligence integration and rules of engagement — the ‘tail’ often matters as much as the ‘tooth’ in air campaigns.

    Business Insider Africa: “deliveries of 24 M-346FA fighter jets… almost finalised, signalling a major upgrade of its air power.”

    TheCable: “The deal was reportedly worth around €1.2 billion… [and] included… 25 years of logistical support.”

    Analysis/Echotitbits take: Big-ticket defence buys can shift capability — but sustainment is everything. Watch for financing terms, delivery milestones, and whether procurement transparency improves amid broader security spending scrutiny.

    Source: Punch — December 17, 2025 — https://punchng.com/insurgency-fg-to-acquire-24-fighter-jets-for-e1-2bn/