30 Killed As ISWAP Terrorists Again Clash With Rival Boko Haram Jihadists

 The rival groups have been attacking communities in the Northeast region since both camps fell apart over leadership issues.

In what appeared to be a continuation of their sustained inter-rivalry clash, the fighters of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) attacked a convoy of Boko Haram, during which about 30 of them were killed.

A counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this in a series of tweets on Monday.

The rival groups have been attacking communities in the Northeast region since both camps fell apart over leadership issues.

The groups have also since been having clashes, and Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram, was reportedly killed during one of such clashes in 2021.

According to Makama, the recent inter-rivalry clash occurred in Chillaria axis in Abadam, a border community with Niger.

He said the clash which lasted about 13 hours led to the death of 30 fighters on both sides of the terror groups in the Lake Chad region. It reportedly started around 4 pm on Friday, December 30 and ended around 5 am on Saturday, December 31, 2022.

According to him, Boko Haram fighters headed by Abu Umaimah or Bakoura Doro and four other commanders led other fighters to the ISWAP camps at Tumbum Allura and Kangar in the North East of Abadam in Borno state.

Makama quoted a military source as saying, “We have been hearing sounds of heavy gunshots since yesterday (Friday) in the Kangar axis of the state.

“There have been sounds of heavy gun shootings as early as 5am and it continued nonstop.”

It further disclosed, “After a successful dislodgement of the ISWAP terrorists, Doro, the Commander of Boko Haram, later withdrew his militants and headed towards his base in Lele Karya, a border hideout with Niger.”

Four captives, however, escaped from ISWAP prison during the 13-hour clash between the terror groups.

The captives were abducted by ISWAP along Maiduguri-Gajiram Road on August 3, 2022.

Those freed include medical personnel working with one of the humanitarian agencies.

Defection Of Ahmed Mahmoud Threatens APC In Jigawa

 Crisis of confidence, coupled with intra party squabbles, has forced two-term Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, Ahmed Mahmoud, to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mahmud, who, until his resignation from APC, was a serving National Commissioner, representing Jigawa State at the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

Mahmoud tendered his resignation letter to the APC Chairman, Galangamawa ward, of his hometown, Gumel, on Saturday over lack of commitment and confidence of party (APC) members towards success of the party in the coming general elections.

In the letter, which was made available to The Guardian, Mahmoud said: “With sense of respect and regard as Chairman, I write to notify you of my resignation from All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I’m constrained to take this decision due to obvious intra party conflicts, disunity and lack of commitment, as well as confidence of party supporters towards success of the party in the coming general elections.

NNPC, Operatives Destroy Barge With Stolen Crude, Filling Station In Delta

 The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, a private security contractor, and government security agencies have destroyed a barge loaded with crude oil in Delta State.

The team also demolished a filling station in Warri for storing stolen crude oil on Saturday.

According to a statement from NNPC, it said the barge was destroyed on Saturday but was arrested on 22nd December 2022 along with some suspects.

“The barge, named MT Brighton 1, which was loaded with stolen crude, was apprehended in one of the creeks running into the Ramos River in the Agge Community, a border village between Delta and Bayelsa states,” it noted.

Also, the security intervention team on Saturday demolished a filling station named Blessed Corporate Oil & Gas Services Ltd in Opete, Warri, Delta State.

NNPC said the station was demolished “For being in the custody of a truck laden with stolen crude and discharging the illegal contents into its underground storage tanks.”

The onslaught against oil thieves intensified in the last quarter of 2022 with the destruction of various vessels and the discovery of illegal crude oil pipeline connection points.

Prior to the exercise, crude oil production dropped to about 1.1 million barrels per day due to oil thieves and the shutting of some vulnerable pipelines. However, it began to improve in December and reached 1.5m bpd, according to NNPC Ltd.

Wike Mocks Atiku Over Obasanjo’s Endorsement Of Obi

 Governor Nyesom Wike has mocked Atiku Abubakar over former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of Labour Party’s Peter Obi. 

Atiku was vice president during the Obasanjo administration between 1999-2007. But on Sunday, the former Nigerian president recommended Obi for the country’s number one seat next year, a move the Rivers State Governor said means “there is something fundamentally wrong”.

“I was praying that Obasanjo should not say anything. When I saw the letter last night, I was touched. If your principal cannot recommend you, then there is something fundamentally wrong,” Wike said on Monday at the flag-off of the construction of Akpabu-Odido Road in Emohua and Ahoada West local government areas.

FG Opens East-West Lane On Second Niger Bridge

The Federal Road Safety Corps has said that the second phase of the use of the second Niger Bridge would commence on January 2, 2023.

The Federal Government had on December 15, 2022, opened the second Niger Bridge for temporary use.

It was announced that motorists travelling from the West to the East would be allowed to use the bridge from December 15, 2022, while motorists returning from the East to the West would be allowed from January 2, 2023.

However, the Sector Commander FRSC, Delta State, Mr Udeme Eshiet, urged road users to adhere to the directive.

Eshiet said, “We thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for endorsing the temporary opening of the Second Niger Bridge since December 15, 2022, that will last till January 15, 2023.

“We want to remind you about the notice that the second phase on the use of the bridge is commencing from January 2, 2023.

“The use of the Second Niger Bridge as directed by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, will be from the East to the West making use of the Obosi interchange.”

He noted that the opening of the bridge has made the journey of Nigerians seamless, reminding the road users to continue to be obedient to all road traffic managers. 

Visibly Underage Persons Who Attempt To Vote Will Be Arrested, Says INEC

 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says visibly underage persons who attempt to vote during the 2023 elections will be arrested.

Festus Okoye, INEC national commissioner for information and voter education, said this on Monday during an interview on ‘The Morning Show’, a programme by Arise Television.

Okoye said in an effort to address issues around underage registration, INEC has summoned all its officers in areas where underage registrations were recorded.

“They will appear before a special panel of the commission and it is still ongoing. We have also made it very clear that any visibly underage person should not on any account, approach any of our polling units on election day, because if the person does, the person will definitely be arrested,” he said.

The parents will also be arrested for aiding and abetting such a venture.”

Speaking further, Okoye said the clean-up of the voters’ register is ongoing, adding that Nigerians would be pleased with the end result.

“Some of the data you saw on social media about underage registration were some registrations that took place from 2011 to before the 2019 election,” he said.

This commission had the courage to publish the entire register of voters and ask Nigerians to also check to ensure no malicious registrations have gone into our voters’ register.

“So, we have harvested all the claims and objectives and are cleaning up the voters’ register. We assure Nigerians, that the voters’ register we are going to go into the 2023 general election with will be one they will be proud of.

‘As of today, the voters’ register is hovering around 93.5 million registered voters. On January 16, the commission will publish the official register that will be used for 2023 elections.”

Tinubu Emerges The Most Searched Presidential Candidate On Google

 The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has ended 2022 as the most searched presidential candidate in Nigeria on google based on people’s interest.

Google trends search interest is captured on monthly basis, the last one being between November 30 and December 27, 2022.

The nation goes into a presidential election on 25 February, 2022 and many of the presidential candidates have been trending with Nigerians and others searching for interesting things about them.


Statistics made available by Google Trends showed that Tinubu had 43% of of all the search interests on google trends.

The Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi came second with 28% searches on google.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has 26% of searches while the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso has 3% of searches on google.

While Prof. Christopher Imumolen of Accord Party; Osita Nnadi of Action Peoples Party; Kolawole Abiola of Peoples Redemption Party and Yabagi Sani of Action Democratic Party, have zero percent search interests apiece, Ado-Ibrahim Abdulmalik of Young Progressives Party; Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress; Mamman Dantalle, Chukwudi Umeadi, Olufemi Adenuga, among others, have -1% search on google trends.

Where are they being searched for?

Tinubu has his most searches between November 30 and December 27 from Gombe, with 100 searches, Republic of Niger with 66 searches, Katsina, 60 searches, Adamawa, 48 searches and Kogi, 45 searches. Other areas he was searched for include Jigawa, Borno, Osun, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, FCT, Ondo, Lagos, Sokoto, Delta, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Plateau, Benue, Bauchi, Cross River, Kano, Anambra, Enugu, Kwara, Ekiti, among others.

Obi has his most searches between November and December 27 from Anambra, 100 searches, Cross River, 92 searches, Ebonyi and Abia 76 searches each and Akwa Ibom, 75 searches. Other areas he was searched are: Enugu, Imo, Plateau, Rivers, Edo, Nasarawa, Delta, Kaduna, FCT, Lagos, Kogi, Ogun, Ondo, Balyelsa, Oyo, among others.


Atiku has his most searches between November 30 and December 27 from Adamawa with 100 searches, Katsina, 90 searches, Sokoto, 89 searches, Jigawa, 86 searches and Zamfara, 76 searches. Other areas he was searched for include Bauchi, Borno, Kebbi, Kogi, Gombe, Republic of Niger, Yobe, Osun, FCT, Anambra, Kano, Kaduna, Ekiti, Ondo, Nasarawa, among others.