By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja

The Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), on Monday condemned the barbaric abduction of schoolchildren, teachers and school officials during coordinated attacks on schools in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

This was stated in a statement issued and signed by President, CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in Abuja.

Okoh said the broad daylight, murder and abduction of defenceless children and citizens are unacceptable, they should be released unconditionally immediately.

The CAN boss, tasked the three tiers of government to activates safe school initiatives, it must no longer exist only on paper while students and teachers remain exposed to terror.

Okoh raised alarm over the dangerous spread of terror, kidnapping into the South-West and other regions, which he added, is threatening national stability, public confidence and the safety of future generations.

These regions used to be parts of the country once considered relatively secure, he therefore urged the government to acts now.

The statement read in parts, “The invasion of schools by armed criminals in broad daylight, the murder of innocent citizens, and the forceful abduction of defenceless children represent a horrifying collapse of security and a direct assault on the conscience of our nation. It is intolerable, disgraceful and utterly unacceptable that Nigerian children can no longer sit safely in classrooms without the fear of being kidnapped by armed gangs.

“CAN is outraged that heavily armed attackers were able to storm multiple schools, terrorise communities, kill innocent people and disappear with dozens of pupils and teachers. This is not merely another security incident. It is a national disgrace and a frightening reminder that organised criminal violence is spreading into parts of the country once considered relatively secure.

“We mourn the reported killing of the assistant headmaster who courageously tried to protect the children, as well as other innocent victims caught in this horrific attack. Their sacrifice must never be forgotten, and those responsible must be identified, apprehended and prosecuted without hesitation”.

The CAN President said, “The sight of terrified teachers and helpless mothers pleading for mercy from inside captivity is a national humiliation that no responsible society should tolerate. No parent should ever have to watch helplessly as their child is dragged into the forest by gunmen. No teacher should have to choose between educating children and risking abduction or death”.

He lamented that, “Nigerians are exhausted by condolences without consequences and promises without protection. The continued failure to decisively dismantle kidnapping networks and armed criminal groups is steadily normalising terror across the country. What was once concentrated in parts of northern Nigeria is now spreading dangerously into the South-West and other regions, threatening national stability, public confidence and the safety of future generations.

“We therefore call on the Federal Government, security agencies and the Oyo State Government to move beyond routine statements and demonstrate immediate, forceful and coordinated action. Every available security and intelligence resource must be deployed to secure the unconditional release of the abducted victims and bring the perpetrators and their collaborators to justice.

“Nigeria must never surrender its schools, its children or its future to armed criminals. Safe school initiatives must no longer exist only on paper while students and teachers remain exposed to terror. Rural communities, forest corridors and known criminal hideouts must be aggressively secured, monitored and reclaimed without delay”.

He said, CAN stands in solidarity with the affected families, churches, school communities and residents of Oriire Local Government Area during this painful period.

“We pray for the safe return of all abducted victims and for comfort, strength and healing for every family affected by this tragedy.

“When children are hunted in their classrooms, silence becomes complicity and delay becomes dangerous. Nigeria must act decisively to defeat these criminal networks before more innocent lives are destroyed”.

The Government of Oyo state, h
confirmed the abduction of seven teachers and undisclosed number of children during Friday’s attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State by suspected bandits.

By Zagazola Makama

The reported killing of Abu-Bilal al-Manuki, a senior commander of the Islamic State and widely described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, by joint United States and Nigerian forces may represent one of the most consequential counterterrorism successes recorded in the Lake Chad conflict in recent years.

More than the elimination of a high-profile extremist figure, the operation signals a major shift in the evolving war against Islamic State West Africa Province and affiliated jihadist networks operating across Nigeria and the wider Sahel.

According to the statement issued by Donald Trump, American forces carried out the operation in coordination with the Nigerian Armed Forces following what he described as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission.”

The operation demonstrates a level of intelligence cooperation, surveillance capability and operational coordination rarely acknowledged publicly between Nigeria and the United States in the counterterrorism space.

But beyond the symbolism of the strike lies an even deeper implication: Abu-Bilal al-Manuki was not an ordinary field commander.

The Man Who Brought ISIS’s New War Doctrine to West Africa

Security and intelligence sources familiar with extremist operations in the Lake Chad Basin say al-Manuki arrived in the region alongside nearly 60 foreign fighters dispatched to strengthen ISWAP’s operational structure and battlefield capabilities.

These foreign operatives, many believed to possess combat experience from the Middle East and other jihadist theatres, reportedly introduced a new phase of insurgent warfare into Nigeria’s conflict environment.

Their arrival coincided with noticeable tactical changes in ISWAP operations, including: increased night assaults on military formations,
coordinated raids using mobile attack teams,
deployment of armed drones for surveillance and attacks, more sophisticated use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), renewed suicide bombing campaigns, and improved battlefield communication and logistics coordination.

Before this evolution, many insurgent attacks in the North-East were largely localized and predictable in pattern. But over time, ISWAP began displaying tactics associated with ISIS operations in Iraq and Syria particularly the use of surprise night attacks designed to overwhelm isolated military positions before reinforcements could arrive.

The emergence of armed drones in the conflict was especially alarming for Nigerian security planners. Though relatively crude in deployment, the adaptation reflected an insurgent force learning, evolving and absorbing global jihadist warfare methods.

It was believe al-Manuki was central to that transformation. His role reportedly extended beyond battlefield command. He allegedly coordinated international funding channels, strategic communications, training support and doctrinal guidance between ISIS central leadership and ISWAP factions operating across West Africa.

Why His Killing Matters

The killing of such a figure by U.S. and Nigerian forces carries three major implications. First, it disrupts ISWAP’s command and coordination architecture. Groups like ISWAP survive not merely because of fighters in the field, but because of the strategic networks behind them logistics, recruitment, financing, propaganda and external support systems. Removing a senior coordinator can create confusion, mistrust and operational paralysis within militant ranks.

The operation reflects a major intelligence breakthrough. For years, ISWAP’s greatest strength has been its ability to hide within difficult terrain stretching from the Lake Chad islands to the Sambisa forests and the wider Sahel corridor. Successfully locating and eliminating someone of al-Minuki’s profile suggests deep intelligence penetration into networks once considered highly secure.

President Trump himself referenced intelligence “sources” that monitored the ISIS commander’s activities. That statement alone will likely trigger internal suspicion within ISWAP circles, where fears of infiltration and betrayal can become deeply destabilizing.

The operation signals growing international concern over the expansion of ISIS-linked activities in West Africa.

The Sahel has increasingly emerged as one of the world’s most active jihadist theatres following instability in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Western governments now see the region not merely as a local African security issue, but as a transnational threat capable of projecting violence beyond the continent.

Still, while the elimination of al-Manuki is significant, it does not mean ISWAP is defeated.

The group has repeatedly shown resilience after leadership losses. It has survived internal divisions, sustained airstrikes, territorial offensives and years of military pressure.

Its endurance is rooted not only in ideology, but also in deeper structural problems across the region: poverty, unemployment, displacement, porous borders, and limited state presence in remote communities.

As long as these conditions persist, extremist groups will continue finding recruitment opportunities.

However, the removal of a globally connected strategist like al-Manuki could slow ISWAP’s tactical evolution and temporarily weaken its ability to coordinate sophisticated operations.

Perhaps the greatest impact of the operation is psychological. For ISWAP commanders, this is telling them that even the most senior leaders are vulnerable.

For Nigerian troops who have spent years fighting a difficult insurgency, it is a morale booster and evidence that sustained pressure is yielding strategic results. For civilians across the North-East, it offers cautious hope that the operational space for extremist leaders is shrinking.

And for Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign, the operation marks a possible transition from attrition warfare toward more intelligence-driven precision targeting of high-value extremist figures. Whether Nigeria can fully exploit this moment will depend on what follows next.

Sustained intelligence operations, regional cooperation, stabilization programmes and community recovery efforts will ultimately determine whether the death of Abu-Bilal al-Manuki becomes merely a symbolic victory or the beginning of a deeper strategic decline for ISWAP in the Lake Chad Basin.

Zagazola is a counter terrorism expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region.

By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered free medical treatment for casualties from a three-storey building that collapsed in Abuja on Saturday, leaving five people dead.

A three-storey building under construction had collapsed in Durumi 3 area, near Gudu Market, Abuja, early on Saturday morning.

Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary, FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat disclosed this when she visited the site.

Fasawe noted that rescue operations were still ongoing as emergency responders continued efforts to evacuate more victims believed to be trapped beneath the rubbles.

In a dramatic rescue operation, one of the victims was pulled out alive after spending more than nine hours trapped under the debris.

Dr. Fasawe, who was at the scene, personally attended to the survivor immediately after he was rescued before he was moved to the hospital for further treatment.

The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), had said in a statement that the building, behind Gudu Market was under construction when it collapsed at 8:30 a.m., killing five persons while 11 others sustained injuries.

FEMD, in the statement signed by the department’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Nkechi Isa, said that its search and rescue team had so far rescued 16 persons.

It added that 11 of the survivors have been taken to the Federal Medical Center Abuja, Asokoro District Hospital and Maitama Hospital for treatment.

The department added that most of the persons trapped in the rubbles were labourers.

It said that other emergency personnel, including the National Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, FCT Police Command were still carrying out search and rescue while anxious residents looked on.

“Also at the scene were personnel of the Nigerian Army, Federal Road Safety Corps, FCT Emergency Medical Services, and health officers from Wuse District Hospital,” it said.