Security Watch - 4th July 2025
Incident Reports:
Plateau State:
Bokkos Local Government Area – Hokk Community attacked on the morning of Sunday, 29th June 2025. Pastor's house burnt in attack.
Riyom Local Government Area - Home of former Minister of Sports, Mr. Damishi Sango, in Dalwal Village attacked on the night of Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025. 1 person killed and a police officer injured.
Kaduna State:
Chikun Local Government Area – Remote settlement on the outskirts of Doka Maijama’a village attacked in the early hours of Wednesday, 2nd July 2025. 60 year 60-year-old man abducted and his son, killed in attack.
Kajuru Local Government Area – Mr. Obadiah Iguda, village head of Bauda village abducted from his home on the night of Sunday, June 29th, 2025.
Benue State:
Guma Local Government Area:
Fulani armed Militia attack Udei Village of Guma Local Government Area. 4 mobile police officers killed and 2 injured.
Family ambushed by Fulani armed militia around Tomanyiin Main village on Friday, June 27th, 2025. Family on their way home from their farm and head of the family abducted.
Kebbi State:
Sabaka Local Government Area – Over 300 armed bandits invade Makuku village, attack a police camp and cart away 8 Ak-47 riffles on Thursday, 26th June, 2025. Police vehicle also burnt down.
Niger State:
Gurara Local Government Area – Kidnapper arrested at Izom Cattle Market on Saturday, June 21st, 2025. Kidnapper had previously kidnapped 2 victims near Gwagwalada on June 9th 2025. Kidnapper identified when one of June 9th victims recognized him.
Rafi Local Government Area – Armed bandits attack Hayin Gando village of Kusherki district on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025. 2 persons killed and 4 kidnapped.
Borno State:
Monguno Local Government Area – Teenage girl killed and another seriously injured in Improvised Explosive Device detonation in a farmland in the Ngurno bush area. The girl who died stepped on the IED close to a borehole on Sunday, June 29th, 2025, other was closeby.
Ngala Local Government Area – Man steps on Improvised Explosive Device at about 9:30pm of Monday, June 30th, 2025. Another IED Explosion occurs on the same day destroying the Abari Bridge which connects Gamboru and Wulgo town destroying the bridge.
Yobe State:
Gujba Local Government Area – 4 travellers killed when vehicle steps on Improvised Explosive Device (IED) along Katarko-Goniri road on Friday, June 27th, 2025. At least 21 persons also injured.
Rivers State:
Eleme Local Government Area - 3 individuals abducted by suspected herdsmen near Eleme town on the evening of Friday, June 27th, 2025.
Abuja (FCT)
Durumi, FCT - 4 hoodlums storm Monkey Village area of Durumi wielding weapons and attacking persons on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025.
Kwara State:
Edu Local Government Area – Armed Fulani militia attack Edogi community and clash with vigilante operatives. 2 individuals killed and 4 injured.
Katsina State:
Kankara Local Government Area – Armed Fulani Militia attack Gidan Tamba Village on the evening of Sunday, June 29th, 2025. 2 persons killed and 4 abducted.
Zamfara State:
Tsafe Local Government Area – Armed Fulani militia launch attack on Chediya Community on Sunday, 29th June, 2025. Civilians resist attack, and 3 bandits are killed. Several houses burnt before bandits are overpowered.
Security Forces Responses and Successes:
Plateau State:
A suspected bandit was arrested in Bokkos Local Government Area in the early hours of Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025.
Troops of 4 Division, Nigerian Army and Operation Safe Haven successfully neutralised a suspected bandit and rescued a kidnapped victim during an ambush operation in Sabon Gari Village, Wase LGA on Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025.
Rivers State:
A joint team of operatives from the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian army and the Department of State Services launched a raid on a kidnapper's hideout in the Ebubu-Eleme Forest on Sunday, June 29th, 2025. 3 victims kidnapped two days earlier were rescued successfully, and one kidnapper of Hausa-Fulani origin was arrested.
FCT (Abuja):
Security forces responded quickly to an attack on the Monkey Village area of Durumi, FCT, on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025. 4 suspects were arrested and a Vehicle and weapons were recovered.
Operatives of the FCT Police Scorpion Squad arrested 3 most wanted bandits and kidnappers operating across Abuja and neighbouring parts of Kaduna State on Sunday, 29th June, 2025.
Borno State:
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai in collaboration with the Nigerien Defence Force successfully repelled a terrorist attack on Mallamfatori in the early hours of Thursday, July 3rd, 2025.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force and Hybrid Forces, eliminated 8 Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists in an operation in Manawaji, Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area. The Operation occurred on Monday, June 30th, 2025.
Katsina State:
Security forces repel armed bandit attack on C Watch Security Camp in Rimaya Village of Kankia Local Government Area. The attempted attack occurred in the early hours of Monday, June 30th, 2025. One police officer was injured.
Taraba State:
Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3, Operation Whirl Stroke carried out an operation on 27th June, 2025 in Ussa Local Government Area which led to the neutralization of one bandit and recovery of weapons.
Zamfara State:
Joint Security Team made up of Zamfara Community Protection Guards, Police and DSS successfully eliminated Kacahalla Yellow Danbokolo alongside more than 170 bandits. The operation carried out on Monday, June 23rd, led to the death of Danbokolo in Chida Village, Shinkafi Local Government Area. Danbokolo was a cousin and chief henchman of wanted terrorist kingpin Bello Turji. The joint security team was backed by the state government, which shut down the internet across Kaura, Shinkafi and Zurmi Local Government Areas to prevent gang leaders from communicating.
Benue State:
Joint Security Operatives arrested 25 suspected bandits and kidnappers in a coordinated operation along the Katsina-Ala – Takum Federal Highway in Benue State on Monday, 30th June, 2025.
11 Benue Links Passengers abducted on June 22nd 2025 rescued on Sunday, June 29th, 2025. The victims were rescued following sustained search operations by the local vigilante groups and the Benue State Civil Protection Guard.
Stefanos Foundation Commentary:
Stefanos Foundation is deeply saddened by these reports. The attacks on Mushere chiefdom in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State have lasted for a month now, and we call for decisive action to be taken in the chiefdom and its surrounding areas.
The 12 states of the federation that experienced incidents of attacks in just one week are a cause for high alarm. We condemn the attacks and killings in Kaduna, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Kebbi and Katsina and Zamfara States. Attacks and killings are beginning to become a usual thing in rural communities in these states, and it should not be so. The government has a mandate to ensure the security of lives and property. We call strongly on the Federal and State Governments and the security architecture to rise and forestall future attacks.
The attack in the FCT and arrest of 4 suspects with names possibly affiliated with the Hausa-Fulani group is also very worrisome. We call for a thorough investigation and decisive action. Nigeria’s capital cannot be compromised.
We are particularly worried about the attack in Rivers state, which is evidence that the activities of criminal Fulani militia have infiltrated the South-South Region. We call for quick decisive action by the Federal Government, State Governments and security architecture to curb these activities before they become common in the region.
We are also alarmed by the resurgence of IED Explosions and land mines planted in Borno and Yobe States. Nigeria cannot afford to go back to the bomb blast area. We call for increased surveillance and active action in the North East Region and the end of Boko Haram and ISWAP activities.
We also celebrate the various advances of the security forces in the past week. Noteworthy is the rescue of the Benue Links Passengers kidnapped on Sunday, June 22nd, 2025. We commend the gallantry of the local vigilante groups and the Benue State Civil Protection Guard.
Also noteworthy is the civilian-led operation that led to the elimination of nefarious bandit warlord Bello Turji's chief henchman, Kacahalla Yellow Danbokolo. We celebrate the gallantry of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards, Police and DSS. We also commend the Zamfara State Government for cooperating and not sabotaging the operation. We recommend that other Governors adopt the posture of Governor Dauda Lawal and work with local security to secure their states and eliminate terrorists.
We call for a more collaborative and sustained effort in the war against insurgency before the terrorists engulf the country.