ISWAP Militants Posing as Tailors in Central Nigeria Arrested…Nigeria Banks on Deradicalization to End Insurgency…Bomb Blast Kills 8 on Nigerian Highway…Nigeria Imposes Up to 10-Year Ban for Foreign Visa Overstays
- Military Nab Suspected ISWAP Militants as Terror Group Targets Plateau for Expansion
Nigerian troops have uncovered an attempt by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to establish operational bases in Plateau and Bauchi states in Central Nigeria.
According to The Punch, two suspected ISWAP militants, both 25 years old, were arrested in Shendam, Plateau State, during a sting operation on April 11.
The suspects were allegedly posing as tailors while working to expand ISWAP’s presence in central Nigeria. Preliminary investigations revealed they were dispatched by an ISWAP commander to set up new cells in Plateau State.
Plateau State, situated in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, has experienced recurrent violence, often linked to Fulani ethnic militias. The state remains a flashpoint for deadly attacks on Christian communities by armed non-state actors, with hundreds killed and thousands displaced in recent years, while authorities appear increasingly overwhelmed by the security crisis.
- Nigeria’s Reintegration Program for Ex-Boko Haram Militants Nears 2,500 Releases
The Nigerian government has released 2,163 former Boko Haram militants over the past nine years through a deradicalization initiative known as Operation Safe Corridor, reports the Foundation for Investigative Journalism.
An additional 390 insurgents are expected to complete the program in April, bringing the total to 2,553. The program, launched in 2016, offers captured or surrendered fighters a six-month Deradicalization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) process instead of prosecution.
Officials say it is designed to encourage defections and end the insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast. According to local media, Yobe State is preparing to receive 54 returning ex-fighters from the latest batch.
Authorities say over 160,000 Boko Haram members and their families have surrendered since the conflict began. Of those, more than 129,000 surrendered between July and December 2023, including over 30,000 fighters. Some foreign nationals have also been repatriated under the program.
- 8 Dead, 21 Injured in Nigeria Bomb Attack Linked to Boko Haram
At least eight people were killed and 21 others injured Saturday when a roadside bomb, suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists, exploded along a busy highway in northeast Nigeria.
The blast targeted a commuter bus traveling the Maiduguri-Damboa Road in Borno State, a region plagued by years of Islamist insurgency.
“It is unfortunate this is happening now. We haven’t witnessed an IED attack for over a year,” Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum said during a visit to survivors at the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri as reported by Nigerian media.
Zulum, who has raised alarms about renewed Boko Haram activity, urged tighter military surveillance on the road. “I assure the people of Borno that, Insha Allah (God willing), under my leadership, we will not allow the security situation to worsen,” he said.
He added that recent talks with Nigerian military chiefs yielded assurances of stepped-up counterterrorism efforts.
- Foreigners Who Overstay Visas in Nigeria Face $15 Daily Fine, 10-Year Ban
Nigeria’s government has introduced tougher immigration rules for foreign nationals who overstay their visas. Beginning August 1, overstaying by more than six months will result in a five-year ban, while overstays of a year or more will trigger a 10-year ban. A daily fine of $15 will also apply from the visa’s expiration date.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced the measures Friday in Lagos, unveiling a new Expatriate Administration System. Key reforms, effective May 1, include an e-visa system with 48-hour processing, digital landing and exit cards, and mandatory expatriate insurance to cover repatriation.
The Combined Expatriate Resident Permit and Alien Card (CERPAC) process will also be fully automated and integrated with Interpol databases.
Tunji-Ojo warned that foreign employers would be held responsible for their staff’s immigration violations. A three-month grace period will allow expatriates to comply before enforcement begins.
“There’s no room for lobbying,” the minister said. “The system is now seamless and secure.”
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
