New terrorist group rises in northeast region

The Nigerian Army has raised alarm over the emergence of a new terrorist group, identified as JamaAtu NusRatul-Islami Wal-Muslimina, in the northeast region.

This was disclosed in an official statement released by the Army on Saturday, November 17, 2018. The Army said the group's leader has already been identified as a certain Abul- Fadl Iyad Gali and will fight the group with advanced technologies.

The statement read, "Meanwhile, the new leader of JAMA'ATU NUS'RATUL-ISLAMI WAL-MUSLIMINA, Abul- Fadl Iyad Gali has also been identified. The group is a new terrorist group which Ansaru is affiliated to.

"In the same vein, the identification of the leader of JAMA'ATU NUS'RATUL-ISLAMI WAL-MUSLIMINA group would enable the NA target the group effectively using advanced technologies in its arsenal.

"This is as the existence of group portends grave danger to Nigeria's national security."

Army kills ISWAP media chief

The Army also disclosed that the media chief of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Ahmad Sale, has been killed by troops.

ISWAP is a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, a terrorist group that has operated in the northeast region of the country since 2009. The group's insurgency kicked off nine years ago after its spiritual leader, Mohammed Yusuf, was killed during a crackdown by security operatives that also led to the death of hundreds.

Abubakar Shekau took control of the group and has killed tens of thousands of people as well as displaced millions who currently reside in internally displaced persons camps in the country.

Yusuf's son, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, heads ISWAP which is directly affiliated with the Islamic State, a jihadist militant group, and has carried out countless deadly attacks on military troops this year.