FACT-CHECK: How a man killed in 2023 is now being recycled as a “terror kingpin” in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
There is something deeply disturbing about the latest circulation of a photograph purportedly showing a suspected “terror kingpin” arrested in Riyom, Plateau State.
The more disturbing issue is that the man Alhaji Adamu Idris Gabdo, the Ardo of Panyam in Mangu Local Government Area, whose photograph appears to have been recycled was himself victim of targeted killing in Plateau. His disappearance, death and recovery of his remains were publicly documented by the Nigerian military in 2023.
Three years after his death, his image is now being dragged back into the security narrative this time apparently as though he were a perpetrator. That is not a harmless mistake.
In a conflict as sensitive as Plateau, turning the photograph of a dead victim into the face of an alleged terrorist can distort the historical record, dishonour the dead and potentially inflame the living.
On September 24, 2023, Adamu Idris Gabdo was reported missing after travelling to Panyam.
His disappearance generated considerable tension because of the already fragile security situation in Mangu. Operation Safe Haven subsequently launched a search operation.
On October 5, 2023, the military announced that its troops had recovered Gabdo’s remains around Boi, along the Pankshin–Bauchi Road in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. The remains were handed over to his family for burial.
It referred to him as the late community leader and said the recovery of his remains would enable investigations to identify those responsible for what it described as a heinous crime.
In other words: Gabdo was not identified by the military as an attacker. He was identified as the victim of a killing. The chronology becomes even more important.
On November 8, 2023, the Nigerian Army announced that troops of Operation Safe Haven had arrested Philip Gokas, also known as Jaykimo, in Lagos. The Army described Gokas as the alleged mastermind behind the murder of the late Adamu Idris Gabdo. The Army said the suspect had admitted involvement and was providing information that could assist investigators in apprehending other suspects.
This means that the historical record already contains a very important distinction: Adamu Idris Gabdo = the murdered Ardo of Panyam.
Philip Gokas/Jaykimo = the person the Army announced in 2023 as an alleged mastermind in Gabdo’s murder.
That distinction cannot now be erased by attaching Gabdo’s photograph to an entirely different security narrative three years later.
The September 24, 2026 report that triggered the latest circulation says security sources reported the arrest of a suspected key figure in Riyom. But there is a crucial detail that appears to have been lost in the social-media amplification.
There have been genuine arrests in connection with violence in Plateau.
For example, in August 2026, Plateau police confirmed the arrest of a suspect believed to be linked to the Bi Mper attack in Mangu that killed 25 people. Channels Television reported the police confirmation and noted that investigations were continuing.
Therefore, fact-checking this latest Riyom report does not mean denying that security agencies are conducting operations or making arrests.
Nor does it mean defending anyone suspected of committing violence. The question is much narrower and much more important:
You see Aliko Dangote, Dantata, Danjuma, Shettima, Sambo, Makarfi, Dasuki, and a ton of northern names floating around our figures and somehow, you cling to this stupid agenda someone has implanted in your head
Anyone who refuses to use their brain in 2026, will leave it open for propagandists to use it for them
When you go through the comments of this tweet, one thing people are parroting is:
“Ehhn Islam doesn’t adapt to culture, it wipes it out.”
And I ask: Which culture?
Are you mourning the culture of indecency? The culture of nakedness, oppression, or idolatry? Islam does not come to erase your identity or your culture. It comes to wash the dirt off it. It keeps what is good and entirely dismantles what is corrupt.
Whether you are Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa, or whatever culture you belong, if your cultural practice promotes immodesty, idolatry or goes against divine instruction, Islam will overrule it without apology. That is the whole point of divine guidance. It is meant to lead human tradition, not follow it.
For your response Mr Man, Hausa culture today is dignified, modest, and rich precisely because Islam refined it.
Just so you know, we are not going to apologize for a religion that wipes out indecency and replaces it with honor.
“We do almost the same work, though at different levels. I want to mention that when I was the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, a particular police officer was killed by a criminal known as 2Baba.
“They killed the policeman, cut him to pieces, spread the body parts around, showed them on social media and ran into the thickest parts of the bush.
“And they were very strategic about it. They chose a dense area of the forest as their habitat. Before you could get to where they were, you needed to cross two rivers. So, you were in the middle of it. The moment you attempted to cross the river, they were picking you off. So, they chose a very difficult terrain.
“We did a lot of intelligence gathering on them and approached the Nigerian Air Force. They told us they were surprised at how we got that amount of intelligence. They looked at it, worked on it on their own and came back to us with feedback. That was actually the biggest job.
“They did their reconnaissance over the place. We were able to identify them moving around the area, and they told us the day they would strike. And behold, the Nigerian Air Force struck. Though 2Baba was not killed in that operation, they [the criminals] lost about five of their men, and it caused disarray in their camp.
“From that moment, they could not stop looking into the sky. They were frightened, and it gave us the opportunity to strike them and assault their camp, which eventually led to the death of 2Baba and the arrest of the others. I will continue to thank the Nigerian Air Force for its support.
“We are going to explore ways of working together.”
— IGP Tunji Disu recalled how the @NigAirForce assisted @PoliceNG to eliminate 2Baba and his notorious criminal gang in Rivers State.
📌📌📌📌📌📌📌📌
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President Buhari is a legend 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Your Father’s Father
If e didn’t dey e didn’t dey, no be cho cho cho
President Buhari warned them but all the ethnic/religious bigots in Nigeria gathered and said he wasn’t an economist and @0xArbit said the man is not intelligent
Here we are today, the educated, intelligent, Chicago Accountant and his fake expired technocrats have scattered the very foundation of Nigeria economic existence
Nigeria has now become the poverty capital of the world with 60% of the population living in poverty according to the @WorldBankGroup under the “Accountant” aka Baale of Iragbiji
There is no better time to bring up this video than today
May Allah continue to grant Baba Buhari Aljanna Firdaus 🙏🙏🙏🙏
“If VeryDarkMan can sit down here to say all Military are corrupt, it’s as good as saying all lawyers are corrupt too. He can not sit down here and just be making substantial claims that he can not back with evidence”
Military representatives caution Verydarkman over making claims he cannot substantiate🙆🏼♂️
Felt so proud and happy watching this. I was at the airport when this soldiers who are probably returning from a mission were celebrated and clapped for by all of us at the airport. More of this please. These soldiers deserves more encouragement. Salute to every soldier out there making sure we still have a country. You guys are the real heroes of this country.
Subsidy is gone but every home is now pursuing solar as alternative source of power? What exactly has gotten better with subsidy removal? Power? Security? Infrastructure? Education? Economy?
What?
On 22 Dec 2016, at about 0800hrs the Nigerian army announced the capture of Camp Zairo, the operational stronghold of Boko Haram. The CIA had predicted it would take five years for the Nigerian military to capture Boko Harams operational stronghold. The army took it in less than a month.
The Nigerian army encircled Camp Zairo, sealing off every potential escape route before subjecting the camp to weeks of relentless artillery and aerial bombardment. Once the position was finally overrun, the Army converted Camp Zairo into a live fire training and shooting range.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
…of ONSA Tactical Team and Troops in Oyo Mission
A rugged, well trained and equipped
A Quiet Force Strengthening Nigeria’s Counterterrorism Efforts
See men busy at work during Orire-Oyo state rescue operation. Nation Appreciates
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