The Nigerian military has identified Shariff Umar as the alleged leader of a suicide bombing network linked to recent deadly attacks across the North East, including the December 24 bombing at the Gamboru Market Mosque in Maiduguri.
The disclosure was made on Saturday following intelligence-led operations by troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai. According to the military, the breakthrough came after coordinated cordon and search operations carried out in the Kalmari area of Maiduguri on December 31, 2025.
Fourteen suspects believed to be connected to suicide bombing activities were arrested during the operation. Subsequent investigations, the military said, exposed the structure, hierarchy, and operational links of the terror cell behind several attempted and successful attacks in the region.
In a statement issued in Maiduguri, the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said the identification of Umar followed detailed interrogation and verification processes. He explained that a detained suspect, Ibrahim Muhammad, provided crucial information that directly implicated Shariff Umar, also known as Yusuf, as the coordinator and leader of the network.
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According to Lt. Col. Uba, investigations revealed that Umar was responsible for recruiting, training, and deploying suicide bombers, as well as overseeing logistics and the supply of components used in improvised explosive devices. The military said multiple statements obtained during interrogation consistently pointed to Umar as the central figure directing the group’s operations.
The statement further disclosed that Shariff Umar personally coordinated the suicide bombing at the Gamboru Market Mosque on December 24, 2025. During that attack, an accomplice identified as Adamu, now deceased, reportedly detonated a suicide vest, killing and injuring worshippers.
Military authorities said investigations are ongoing to dismantle the remaining elements of the network and to track down other collaborators linked to the attacks. They reiterated their commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorist groups operating in the North East and urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.
