Boko Haram Massacres 40…60,000 Children Among Surrendered Boko Haram Insurgents…48,932 Await Trial in Nigerian Prisons…Bandit Feud Claims 2 Lives
40 Farmers Killed in Boko Haram Attack in Nigeria
At least 40 farmers were killed in a weekend attack by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in Northeastern Nigeria, leaving dozens more missing. The terrorists struck on Sunday in Kukawa County in Borno State while farmers were engaged in dry-season irrigation along the Lake Chad River Basin Authority.
“Armed militia suspected to be Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists attacked some farmers and fishermen at Dumba community,” said Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar in a press statement.
“Initial report indicates about 40 farmers have been killed while the whereabouts of many who escaped the attack are being traced,” Tar added.
However, according to security analyst Zagazola Makama, the attack was carried out by ISWAP militants, while rival Boko Haram fighters later mobilized to the scene after hearing the gunfire and assisted in evacuating injured victims and retrieving the bodies of those killed. ISWAP militants fled the area to avoid a confrontation with Boko Haram.
Boko Haram Surrenders in Nigeria Hit 120,000, 60,000 Children Involved
Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, disclosed on Monday that more than 120,000 Boko Haram members have surrendered, with more than 60,000 of them being children.
“Over 120,000 surrendered. Out of this number, over 60,000 were children,” he told ARISE NEWS during an interview. He explained that many members were forced into the group, saying, “Some of them were conscripted, some of them were forced, some were enslaved.”
Musa revealed that insurgents aimed to create a new generation of fighters through forced pregnancies as the military continues its aggressive onslaught on their strongholds. “They now decided to start impregnating the women and what they do is that if a woman gives birth, four months after giving birth, they impregnate her again. They were trying to produce a new set of terrorists.”
Surrendered members are being tracked, with women, children, and the elderly undergoing rehabilitation.
48,932 Prison Inmates Awaiting Trial in Nigeria
Overcrowding remains a major challenge for Nigerian prisons, with 48,932 inmates currently awaiting trial, according to the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), the agency overseeing the country’s prisons.
Acting Controller-General Sylvester Nwakuche acknowledged the issue, stating, “Overcrowding, no doubt, stands out as the most pressing challenge of the NCoS.”
Nwakuche outlined plans to work with state governments and judicial authorities to expedite trials and explore alternatives such as non-custodial sentences to address this, according to Nigerian media.
“While engaging State Chief Executives to expedite the trial of the over 90 percent state offenders in custody, the use of non-custodial measures and early release mechanisms will be taken up with the judiciary,” he added.
The NCoS is also working with stakeholders to build new facilities, including proposed 3,000-capacity ultramodern custodial centers, to address the crisis.
2 Notorious Bandits Killed in Rival Clashes
Two notorious bandits in Nigeria’s Northwest Zamfara State, Kachalla Idi Mai Randa and Ya’u, were killed in separate clashes with a rival faction led by wanted bandit leader Dogo Geide, reports Zagazola Makama.
Idi Mai Randa, known for multiple attacks in the region, was ambushed by Dogo Geide on Sunday evening, reportedly in retaliation for a prior attack that killed one of Geide’s men. Days earlier, Ya’u, a close ally of Idi Mai Randa implicated in numerous attacks, was also killed.
These killings come amid intensified efforts by Nigerian security forces to dismantle bandit networks in Zamfara, one of Nigeria’s bandit hotspots.
What’s News Today? January 14, 2025, compiled by Ezinwanne Onwuka for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
