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Eight Terrorism Signs Nigerians Should Be Aware Of

Published

4 years ago

December 31, 2021

Editor

It is important for all Nigerians and African countries hit by insecurity challenges to recognise that when terrorist attacks occur, it affects everyone. So, Nigerians, as well as citizens in terrorist-hit countries, need to work with law enforcement agencies by always informing and alerting them of any suspicious activities. All Nigerians and all Africans need to recognise the eight signs of terrorism. As an adage says, “prevention is better than cure.” If you see something, you say something!

I am going to educate my Nigerians and other Africans on the eight signs of terrorism. Before I do, it is very important to state categorically that the term terrorism has no generally-acceptable definition. It is equally important to know that military action alone is not enough to defeat terrorism, as some of the objectives of the terrorist groups are to create fear and disunity within and among the victims of their activities to achieve their objectives. It is vital that Nigerians participate actively and collectively in the fight against terrorism.

The eight signs of terrorism recognised by experts that Nigerians should be aware of are surveillance; elicitation; testing security; funding; acquiring supplies; impersonation; rehearsal, and deployment.

During surveillance, terrorists will try to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the targeted area, while gauging emergency response times. Sometimes they use vision-enhancing surveillance, acquiring floor plans or blueprints, showing interest in security, or obtaining information to access facilities. If you notice any of these activities, you should report them to your local authority.

Elicitation is the period when terrorists are trying to gather information about their targeted area. This information might be about operations and the security of their target. Examples include a power plant station, schools, shopping malls, a populated marketplace, and even a sports stadium. They can do this by phone, email, in person or even by gaining employment at the targeted location. If you have observed this, or think something is not right, you need to report it to your local authority immediately.

Terrorists examine security in a planned way at this stage – they try to see if their planned attacks would work properly. This is the testing security phase. They may use various methods. For instance, they may leave an unattended bag to see how security personnel will react to it. Often, terrorists intentionally perform break-ins in restricted areas to determine how security will react to it. If you think something is not right, report it to the local law enforcement agencies.

It is expensive to run terrorist operations, therefore, their operations involve raising and transferring money, and spending in a way that does not bring attention to them. Examples include large transactions and donations to unknown charities. Raising funding might involve human trafficking, drugs and kidnapping for ransom, and other related crimes. Recently, some have observed that corrupt politicians should be scrutinised. If you observe any signs related to this, you will need to report it to your local authority.

Terrorists need a lot of supplies to carry out their attacks. For instance, they need weapons, transportation, and communications. Vehicles in a strange area, someone buying a number of “burner” cell phones, bags filled with trash in an unusual place, fertilisers, and explosive chemicals in a garage or in a compound may imply signs of terrorism. You need to report these signs to your law enforcement agency as it might be a sign of terrorism funding.

If someone’s behaviour is suspicious because of what they say or do, this could be a red flag. Impersonating a law enforcement officer or an employee of a company might signify terrorist activity. Suspects may have on ill-fitting uniforms that may appear bigger or smaller than normal – this might be a sign of terrorism. If you feel that something is not right, you will need to report it to the appropriate authority.

Terrorists will often rehearse several times to make sure their operations run smoothly. They may monitor police radio transmissions and measure emergency response times. You need to report it to the appropriate authority.

During deployment, terrorists are constantly arranging their assets, getting into position, or in the means of attack. If you notice any related suspicious activities, you need to report it to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

In summary, all hands must be on deck in the fight against terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities and Nigeria, the Sahel and Africa at large. But the military and citizens have roles to play in the fight against terrorism.

Ramon Oseni, a US service member, writes from Columbia, Maryland, USA.

Related Topics:#US Maryland Ramon Oseni Terrorism

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Aircraft Crashes In Owerri With Four Persons Onboard

Published

17 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Editor

Photo: File copy

A Cessna 172 aircraft with registration number 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express, has crashed at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State.

The aircraft had departed Kaduna International Airport en route to Port Harcourt International Airport before diverting to Owerri after the crew declared an emergency.

The crash occurred at about 8:00 pm on the airport premises, with four passengers and crew members onboard.

Confirming the incident, the Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, said the agency had been notified of the crash.

According to the NSIB, the aircraft crashed on the approach area of Runway 17, but no fatalities have been recorded so far.

The statement said: “Following the occurrence, airport emergency services were successfully activated and arrived on site promptly. Reports indicate that there was no post-crash fire, and the runway remains active for flight operations, with other aircraft taking off safely after the incident.

“Efforts are currently underway to coordinate the recovery and evacuation of the distressed aircraft from the crash site to allow for a detailed wreckage examination.”

The NSIB said it has officially activated its investigation protocols in line with its statutory mandate

The Director-General of NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jr., sympathised with the management of Skypower Express over the incident and expressed relief that no lives were lost.

Badeh Jr. added that the Bureau’s investigation team is already coordinating with relevant authorities to secure the crash site and commence a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident.

Two days ago, 11 persons narrowly escaped death as a private jet crash-landed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Sunday morning.

The occupants, including passengers and cabin crew, were safely evacuated amid an intense atmosphere, eyewitnesses told The Guardian.

The private jet, owned by Flybird Aviation, crash-landed at about 9:30 a.m. while approaching Kano Airport en route to Abuja.

The incident attracted urgent attention, with emergency staff and other stakeholders converging at the runway to render rescue operations.

The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is yet to release an official statement on the incident. Unofficial sources disclosed that the passengers have been taken to an unknown destination.

Several aircraft incidents have occurred at Kano Airport, with several lives lost.

The last incident occurred in May 2002, when an EAS Airline aircraft departed the runway at Aminu Kano International Airport at 1:29 p.m. local time en route to Lagos.

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Musk Breaks Record As First Person Worth Over $600 Billion

Published

20 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Editor

Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI, has reached a new personal wealth milestone, surpassing a net worth of $600 billion, driven primarily by a recent valuation increase of SpaceX.

The development makes Musk the first individual in history to exceed the US$600 billion threshold.

According to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, Musk’s net worth stood at approximately $638 billion as of 15 December 2025, with the increase largely attributed to SpaceX, which was recently valued at around $800 billion following an insider share sale.

The privately held aerospace company, based in Starbase, Texas, is now considered the most valuable private firm globally, significantly boosting Musk’s personal holdings.

Musk’s stake in Tesla, estimated at roughly 12 per cent, is valued at nearly $200 billion, while his majority ownership of xAI Holdings is estimated at $60 billion.

Collectively, these assets place him on track to potentially approach US$700 billion, widening the gap between him and the world’s second-richest individual, former Google CEO Larry Page, valued at $265 billion.

The SpaceX valuation comes ahead of a projected public listing in 2026, which could see the company valued at approximately $1.5 trillion.

“Other shareholder meetings are snooze-fests but ours are bangers. Look at this. This is sick,” Musk said in November during Tesla’s shareholder meeting, referring to a performance-linked pay package approved by investors.

He added, “I super appreciate it.” The package, potentially worth up to US$1 trillion in stock, is tied to market-capitalisation and operational milestones over the next decade.

SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network has also contributed to investor confidence. The company continues to expand high-speed internet access to underserved regions worldwide.

Chad Gibbs, Vice President of Starlink Operations, stated that the satellite technology “bypasses the need to build massive amounts of infrastructure,” allowing broader and faster connectivity.

Musk’s ascent in personal wealth follows years of strategic risk-taking and long-term planning, with Tesla’s focus on electric vehicles, battery technology, and autonomous systems laying the foundation for his financial growth.

Analysts note that the combination of SpaceX’s soaring valuation, Tesla’s long-term incentives, and Musk’s diverse portfolio underpins his current status as the world’s wealthiest individual.

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South Korea, Japan Protest China, Russia Aircraft Incursions

Published

1 week ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

South Korea and Japan reacted furiously on Wednesday after Chinese and Russian military aircraft conducted joint patrols around the two countries, with both Seoul and Tokyo scrambling jets.

South Korea said it had protested with representatives of China and Russia, while Japan said it had conveyed its “serious concerns” over national security.

According to Tokyo, two Russian Tu-95 nuclear-capable bombers on Tuesday flew from the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with two Chinese H-6 bombers in the East China Sea, then conducted a joint flight around the country.

The incident comes as Japan is locked in a dispute with China over comments Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.

The bombers’ joint flights were “clearly intended as a show of force against our nation, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi wrote on X Wednesday.

Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara said that Tokyo had “conveyed to both China and Russia our serious concerns over our national security through diplomatic channels”.

Seoul said Tuesday the Russian and Chinese warplanes entered its air defence zone and that a complaint had been lodged with the defence attaches of both countries in the South Korean capital.

“Our military will continue to respond actively to the activities of neighbouring countries’ aircraft within the KADIZ in compliance with international law,” said Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the International Policy Bureau at Seoul’s defence ministry, referring to the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone.

South Korea also said it deployed “fighter jets to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies” in response to the Chinese and Russian incursion into the KADIZ.

The planes were spotted before they entered the air defence identification zone, defined as a broader area in which countries police aircraft for security reasons but which does not constitute their airspace.

Japan’s defence ministry also scrambled fighter jets to intercept the warplanes.

Beijing later Tuesday confirmed it had organised drills with Russia’s military according to “annual cooperation plans”.

Moscow also described it as a routine exercise, saying it lasted eight hours and that some foreign fighter jets followed the Russian and Chinese aircraft.

Since 2019, China and Russia have regularly flown military aircraft into South Korea’s air defence zone without prior notice, citing joint exercises.

In November last year, Seoul scrambled jets as five Chinese and six Russian military planes flew through its air defence zone.

Similar incidents occurred in June and December 2023, and in May and November 2022.

Meanwhile, Tokyo said Monday it had scrambled jets in response to repeated takeoff and landing exercises involving fighter jets and military helicopters from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier as it cruised in international waters near Japan.

It also summoned Beijing’s ambassador after military aircraft from the Liaoning locked radar onto Japanese jets, the latest incident in the row ignited by Takaichi’s comments backing Taiwan.

Takaichi suggested last month that Japan would intervene militarily in any Chinese attack on the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out seizing by force.

AFP