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Military records fresh terrorist surrenders and arrests in Northeast as deadly attack on vigil worshippers raises renewed fears over expanding insecurity
By Bukar Goni, Aderonke Unigbe / May 25, 2026
Nigerian troops under Operation HADIN KAI have intensified counter-insurgency operations across Borno State and Yobe State, killing suspected terrorists, arresting logistics collaborators, and recording fresh surrenders linked to insurgent groups operating in the Northeast.
The military operations came amid fresh insecurity in Kwara State where armed attackers invaded a prayer ground during a night vigil, killing three worshippers and abducting at least 15 others in a deadly assault that has heightened concerns over the spread of violent criminal attacks into parts of North Central Nigeria.
The latest incidents underscore the widening complexity of Nigeria’s security crisis as military authorities battle insurgency, banditry, kidnapping networks, and armed criminal groups across multiple regions simultaneously.
Troops Kill Terrorists During Clearance Operations
According to a Defence Headquarters operational report covering May 15 to 21, troops deployed under Operation HADIN KAI carried out coordinated clearance missions in insurgent strongholds across southern Borno.
Military authorities disclosed that troops operating around Valle general area, Ashigashiya, and Gakara communities in Gwoza Local Government Area engaged suspected terrorists in a gun battle on May 15.
Two insurgents were reportedly killed during the operation.
The military said the operations formed part of sustained offensives targeting terrorist enclaves and supply routes linked to insurgent activities around the Mandara Mountains axis.
Security Forces Target Insurgent Supply Networks
On May 16, troops working alongside local hunters reportedly raided suspected insurgent logistics networks operating around Kwayar Kusar Market in Kwayar Kusar Local Government Area.
During the operation, four suspected cattle rustlers and logistics collaborators were arrested while allegedly attempting to sell cattle believed to belong to insurgent groups.
Security analysts say dismantling supply chains and financial networks has become increasingly critical to weakening terrorist operations in the Northeast.
The military has repeatedly accused logistics suppliers, informants, and black-market traders of sustaining insurgent movements through food supplies, transportation, fuel distribution, and intelligence sharing.
Fresh Surrenders Linked To Military Pressure
The Defence Headquarters also reported additional surrenders involving relatives and suspected members of terrorist groups.
According to the military, sustained pressure from ongoing offensives and worsening conditions inside insurgent enclaves are forcing some fighters and family members to abandon camps and surrender.
One adult male relative of a suspected terrorist reportedly escaped from the Kwatara enclave in the Mandara Mountains before surrendering to troops along the Gwoza-Limankara road.
Military authorities claimed the individual cited severe hardship and intensified military offensives as reasons for abandoning the insurgent camp.
Further surrenders were reportedly recorded in Dikwa Local Government Area, where two women and seven minors turned themselves in to troops.
Another woman identified as Alisha Sale reportedly surrendered separately in Dikwa town on the same day.
Female Logistics Suspect Arrested
In another operation near Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area, troops conducting routine security checks arrested a female suspect accused of supplying materials to a notorious insurgent commander identified as Modu Mustapha.
The military alleged that the suspect transported ready-to-use supplementary food and hijabs intended for insurgent use in Mobbar Local Government Area.
Security experts note that women increasingly play complex roles within insurgent logistics systems — ranging from coerced support activities to active operational collaboration.
Suspect Surrenders With Rifle, Ammunition
The military further disclosed that a 20-year-old suspect identified as Babakaka Bukar surrendered at the Forward Operating Base in Mairari, Nganzai Local Government Area.
According to the report, the suspect handed over:
- One AK-47 rifle;
- Ammunition;
- A mobile phone.
Troops at Bama checkpoint also reportedly intercepted another suspected logistics supplier allegedly transporting food items and supplies intended for insurgents.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Yobe State, troops reportedly recovered an abandoned AK-47 rifle and ammunition after suspected terrorists fled during security operations.
Terror Strikes Kwara Prayer Ground
While counter-insurgency operations intensified in the Northeast, armed attackers launched a deadly assault on worshippers gathered for a night vigil in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The attack occurred Saturday night at Ori-Oke Ajaiye prayer ground near Ikiran village.
According to the Kwara State Police Command, the attackers stormed the prayer gathering at about 8:30 p.m., opened fire sporadically, killed three worshippers, and abducted 15 others.
The incident was reportedly reported by Pastor Adebayo Abiodun of Ijo Ajaiye Ati Igbala.
Police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi described the assault as gruesome and condemned the killings and abductions.
Security Agencies Launch Rescue Operation
Following the attack, security operatives reportedly launched a coordinated tactical and intelligence-driven rescue mission.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi reportedly deployed:
- Police tactical units;
- Police Mobile Force personnel;
- Intelligence teams;
- Drone surveillance assets;
- Bush-combing search operations.
Authorities say efforts are ongoing to locate the abducted worshippers and apprehend the attackers.
The police described the attack as “barbaric, callous and unacceptable.”
Residents have also been urged to remain vigilant and provide credible intelligence to security agencies.
Growing Fear Over Expanding Insecurity
The attack in Kwara has renewed concerns over the apparent geographical expansion of violent criminal activities into areas previously considered relatively stable.
Security analysts warn that kidnapping-for-ransom networks, armed banditry, and extremist-linked criminal operations are increasingly overlapping across multiple parts of Nigeria.
Religious gatherings, rural communities, highways, schools, and farming settlements continue to remain vulnerable targets.
The latest prayer ground attack also highlights growing fears over insecurity surrounding isolated worship centres and remote religious camps across parts of the country.
Questions Over Security Strategy Persist
Despite repeated military offensives and official claims of operational success, attacks involving abductions and civilian killings continue across several states.
Critics argue that while tactical victories against insurgent cells remain important, broader structural problems persist, including:
- Weak intelligence coordination;
- Porous borders;
- Rural policing gaps;
- Illegal arms proliferation;
- Economic hardship;
- Community distrust of security institutions.
Analysts also warn that insurgent groups and criminal networks continue adapting operational tactics despite sustained military pressure.
The latest military offensives in Borno and Yobe demonstrate ongoing efforts by Nigerian security forces to weaken insurgent operations through targeted raids, arrests, and sustained battlefield pressure.
However, the deadly attack on worshippers in Kwara State underscores the continuing fragility of Nigeria’s internal security landscape and the growing challenge posed by interconnected criminal and extremist threats.
As security agencies intensify rescue operations and counter-insurgency campaigns, public attention is increasingly shifting toward whether Nigeria can achieve lasting security stabilization amid expanding violence across multiple regions.
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