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COAS seeks drone training to boost Army’s counter-terrorism operations

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has called for specialised training for Nigerian Army personnel in unmanned aerial systems and drone technology to strengthen the military’s capacity to tackle terrorism, insurgency and banditry.

Shaibu made the call on Friday during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in Abuja.

The COAS said the training would help develop indigenous expertise and establish local companies capable of producing unmanned aerial systems for military applications.

‘This will help us establish indigenous companies for the development of unmanned aerial systems and reduce reliance on foreign military training,’ he said.

He reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to advancing local technological capacity and strengthening strategic partnerships to enhance national security.

Shaibu praised the PTDF’s longstanding role in human capacity development and formally requested specialised training for Army personnel to create a pool of skilled professionals in drone technology.

He also acknowledged the Fund’s continued support for Command Secondary Schools.

The Executive Secretary of the PTDF, Prof. Shuaibu Shehu Aliyu, commended the sacrifices of the Nigerian Army in safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity.

Aliyu outlined ongoing collaborations under the PTDF In-Country Scholarship Scheme at the Nigerian Defence Academy and pledged to establish a modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre for digital skills training at the proposed Command Science Secondary School in Kaduna.

He also called for the Army’s support in protecting PTDF’s strategic national assets and regional centres of excellence in Kaduna and Afam.

The PTDF executive secretary advocated a formal security framework between both institutions to ensure rapid emergency response and safeguard staff, students and infrastructure.

Bauchi NUJ Council gets new leadership headed by Isa Gadau

Immediate past Secretary of the Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Isa Garba Gadau of the Bauchi State Television (BATV), has emerged as Chairman of the Council following an election held on Saturday.

In the election supervised by the National Secretariat of the NUJ and represented by the Zonal Vice President, Zare Baba, who was assisted by the Zonal Secretary, as well as the Gombe and Plateau Council chairmen, Isa Garba Gadau polled 87 votes to defeat his rival, Ahmed Mohamed of the Correspondents Chapel, who polled 47 votes.

The Chairperson of the 2026 NUJ Election, Elizabeth Carr, announced the results, declaring former Auditor, Isiyaka Wunti, as the new Council Secretary. He defeated Mu’azu Hassan of the NTA with 97 votes to 37.

Others elected unopposed were the immediate past Treasurer, Danjuma Sarki Saleh, who becomes the Vice Chairman; immediate past Assistant Secretary, Adama Ibrahim, who becomes the new Treasurer; and Aliyu Sambo, who becomes Assistant Secretary. Khalid Idris Doya of LEADERSHIP Newspapers was elected Financial Secretary, while Abubakar Ibrahim emerged as Auditor.

While inaugurating the new Executive Council, the National President of the NUJ, Comrade Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, charged the newly elected leaders to uphold integrity, trust and professionalism in the discharge of their responsibilities.

The NUJ National President, who was represented by the Zonal Vice President, Mr Zare Baba, said the primary responsibility before the new leadership was to advance journalism practice and improve the quality of journalism in the state.

He also commended the immediate past Chairman, Comrade Umar Sa’idu, for his contributions to the development of the union and urged the new executives to conduct their affairs with honesty, fairness and accountability.

While advising the new council to emulate the good things of the immediate past council, he charged them to eschew bitterness by putting the contest behind them and treating all journalists as one big family.

In his acceptance speech, the elected and sworn-in Chairman, Comrade Isa Garba Gadau, pledged that his administration would prioritise the welfare of journalists, professional training and development, as well as the safety and security of media practitioners in the state.

He said the new Executive Council would work to ensure that journalists were adequately supported, better equipped and able to perform their duties without fear.

‘I accept this mandate with gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility. This victory is not mine alone; it belongs to all members of our great union,’ he said.

Isa Garba Gadau also pledged strict adherence to the NUJ Constitution and Code of Ethics, noting that the credibility of journalism and the respect accorded the profession depended on commitment to professional standards.

He said his administration would consolidate the achievements of previous administrations rather than discard existing initiatives that had yielded positive results.

‘We will not discard what has worked; rather, we will strengthen it, improve it and introduce new initiatives where necessary,’ he said.

The new Chairman further promised to run an administration based on unity, inclusiveness, accountability and mutual respect, adding that he would work with all chapels, members and stakeholders for the progress of the NUJ in Bauchi State.

He congratulated all contestants and appealed to members who supported other candidates to join hands with the new leadership for the advancement of the union.

‘The election is over; we are now one union, with one purpose and one responsibility, to advance the interests of journalists and strengthen our profession,’ he said.

Isa Garba Gadau also commended the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, for the remodelling of the NUJ Secretariat, saying the project had given the premises a new look.

He expressed hope that the project would be completed and commissioned soon.

Meanwhile, the IGG Campaign Council, under the leadership of Mr Ishola Michael Adeyemi, congratulated Isa Garba Gadau, Isiyaka Ismail and all other successful candidates on their emergence.

The council also commended members of the NUJ for their participation in the election and urged the new leadership to remain committed to unity, professionalism, journalists’ welfare and the continued development of the union.

Immediately after the inauguration of the new council, enthusiastic members around the NUJ Press Centre took to dancing, expressing their happiness over the development and looking forward to more impactful and purposeful leadership.

UAAP: New-look Maroons test Blue Eagles for early lead

Ateneo and University of the Philippines seek follow-ups to impressive debuts when they clash on Saturday, while National U and University of the East look to bounce back and end the first week of UAAP Season 89 collegiate men’s basketball tournament eliminations on a positive note at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Blue Eagles and the Fighting Maroons battle in the latest chapter of their storied ‘Battle of Katipunan’ rivalry at 5:30 p.m., with the game serving as the first major test for Ateneo, even as the Bulldogs and the Red Warriors pull the curtains up on an interesting double header at 3 p.m.

Despite being bannered by a new core, the Fighting Maroons made an early statement that they can still contend for another championship after rallying past University of Santo Tomas, 92-85, on opening day.

Led by Nigerian Francis Nnoruka and Noy Remogat, the Maroons are showing that there is life after the ‘Maroon 5’ days that were bannered by JD Cagulangan.

‘I believe this group din has its own identity din as a team,’ coach Goldwin Monteverde, now in his sixth season with the Maroons, said. ‘So far, while the team’s working together, they develop chemistry. At the same time, everybody’s really committed to really working and improving.’

Nnoruka, who had 18 points and 12 rebounds against the Growling Tigers, knows this version of the Maroons needs to raising the bar even higher.

‘I believe the previous UP teams, how everybody sees them, they have like a standard. It’s pretty much about continuing where they left off and raising the standards high,’ Nnoruka, who takes over from the effective Malick Diouf as UP’s foreign student-athlete, said.

‘I think it’s pretty much the mindset that we’ve had on our team the whole year,’ he went on. ‘We’ve just got to go out and show up, play with heart, effort, and just try and get the job done.’

Meanwhile, the Eagles seem to be healing well from the deadly disaster that marred their off-season.

Now focused on a campaign dedicated to fallen student-athletes Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia, Ateneo dominated the University of the East, 101-74, on Wednesday.

‘I think it says a lot about the players’ willingness, because after everything that happened to them, we still fight it out,’ said assistant coach RJ Jazul, who spoke on behalf of interim coach Louie Alas. ‘Of course, the emotional baggage will always be there. But they keep on climbing every day with hard practices. They’re all going hard.’

Ivory Coast targets 2027 gold refinery start as it seeks top producer spot

Ivory Coast plans to begin operations at a new gold refinery in the first half of 2027 as the West African country moves to process more of its minerals locally and raise annual gold production to 100 tons by 2030.

The Société Ivoirienne des Métaux Précieux (Simep) refinery will be able to process up to 100 metric tons of gold a year, Mines, Petroleum and Energy Minister Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly said in Abidjan.

‘The refining unit will begin operations by the end of the first half of 2027,’ Sangafowa-Coulibaly said.

The planned capacity is broadly in line with Ivory Coast’s expected industrial mine production as the country expands output from existing mines and develops new projects. Gold processed at the facility will be marketed with the assistance of US financial services company StoneX Group.

Ivory Coast currently produces about 60 tons of gold a year and ranked eighth among African gold producers in 2025, according to World Gold Council data. Ghana was the continent’s largest producer with 192.4 tons, followed by several other major producers including Zimbabwe, Guinea, Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The government wants to raise national gold production to 100 tons by 2030, with new mines and expansions at existing operations expected to drive much of the increase.

Perseus Mining is expanding its Yaouré gold mine, while Canada based Montage Gold plans to commission its Koné mine by the end of 2026. The projects are expected to add to national output as Ivory Coast seeks to expand its mining industry.

The refinery is part of a wider effort by African mineral producing countries to retain more value from their natural resources. Governments across the continent are increasingly seeking to move beyond exporting raw or lightly processed minerals by developing local refining and processing capacity.

Kenya has announced plans to prohibit exports of unprocessed minerals, including gold, while Ghana and Zimbabwe have introduced measures aimed at increasing domestic mineral processing.

For Ivory Coast, the planned refinery will allow rising gold output to be matched with greater processing capacity within the country. At full capacity, it could process roughly the same volume of gold as the government expects the country’s industrial mines to produce.

The government has set an even more ambitious longer term target of becoming Africa’s largest gold producer by 2035, putting the expansion of mining and refining capacity at the centre of its plans for the sector.

Ojulari vows transparent pricing, accurate fuel dispensing as NNPC unveils smart self-service station

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bayo Ojulari, has assured Nigerians that the company’s newly commissioned Smart Self-Service Station will promote transparent pricing, accurate fuel dispensing and secure digital payments.

In this interview, Ojulari discusses the strategic significance of the project, its role in NNPC Limited’s broader transformation agenda and plans to replicate the model across the country.

It is important to place this development within the context of the culture transformation journey NNPC Limited embarked upon more than a year ago.

The journey is centred on our ‘Fit-for-Future’ strategic pillars: Enterprise-First Mindset, Execution Excellence, Profitable Growth and Partner of Choice.

The recently commissioned Smart Self-Service Station represents an important milestone in the transformation of NNPC Retail and NNPC Limited more broadly.

It demonstrates, in practical terms, how we are deploying technology to improve the efficiency of our retail operations. This is a direct expression of our Execution Excellence pillar.

It also supports our ambition to build a customer-centric and digitally enabled energy company that listens and responds to the changing needs of Nigerians. That is at the heart of being a genuine Partner of Choice.

The facility also reflects our commitment to greater transparency across our operations, which we believe will benefit not only the company but also Nigeria’s wider economic development, in line with our Profitable Growth pillar.

The model combines self-service fuelling and digital payments with additional energy solutions, including electric vehicle charging, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG).

It is not simply a new type of filling station. It signals a shift towards a more integrated and technology-enabled energy retail experience, developed in collaboration with our technology and retail partners.

When should Nigerians expect the Smart Station model – including self-service fuelling, EV charging, LPG and CNG – to be replicated across the country?

We understand the urgency behind this question, and we share it. Nigerians deserve to see the benefits of this innovation extended to more communities as quickly as possible.

However, at NNPC Limited, speed and sustainability must go hand in hand. Execution Excellence, one of our core pillars, means moving with deliberate speed while ensuring that whatever we build is sustainable and built to last.

This first Smart Station is a proof of concept, and we are moving deliberately – not slowly.

Our immediate focus is to learn from its operations in real time, work closely with our technology partners to refine the system and ensure that the customer experience meets the standard Nigerians deserve.

When we scale, we want to replicate a model that works, rather than build something that will require significant changes later.

Subject to the outcome of this initial deployment, we expect the rollout to proceed in structured phases across the country. The expansion will be guided by factors including customer demand, location, infrastructure readiness and the availability of the different energy solutions in each area.

Our commitment is to move with urgency while executing the project in a manner that stands the test of time.

How will NNPC ensure that the technology delivers transparent pricing, accurate dispensing, secure payments and a reliable customer experience?

This is where our Enterprise-First Mindset and Execution Excellence pillars are tested in a tangible way. Integrity in our operations, together with trust and convenience for our customers, are central to this commitment.

The Smart Station has been designed with real-time monitoring of transactions and equipment performance. It is also supported by dedicated maintenance and customer service processes to ensure that issues are identified and resolved promptly.

Controls have been incorporated to support pricing accuracy, proper dispensing calibration and the security of digital payments. These measures were developed in partnership with our technology providers to meet the standards our customers deserve.

Just as importantly, we intend to continue listening to our customers. We will use operational data and direct customer feedback to continuously refine the system.

Our objective is simple: every transaction should be easy, secure and transparent, and every customer should leave confident that they received exactly what they paid for.

Kogi govt bans roadside revenue collection, introduces automated daily ticketing system

The Kogi State Government has restated its prohibition of cash collection and roadside roadblocks for revenue generation, as it unveiled a new framework for the collection of daily ticketing across the state.

The government also announced Solution Network Consults as the new consultant saddled with the management of Daily Ticketing, formerly known as the Infrastructure Maintenance Levy (IML).

The development was announced at a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) at its corporate headquarters in Lokoja.

The meeting brought together the Executive Chairman of KGIRS, Dr. Sule Salihu Enehe; Special Adviser to the Governor on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Dr. Rahman Nasir Ichanyi; directors of KGIRS; representatives of Solution Network Consults led by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Yomi Charles, and Chief Richard Asaje, as well as leaders of transport unions, including the NURTW, Okada Riders Association and Tricycle Owners Association.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Enehe said the engagement was designed to introduce the new consultant to stakeholders and establish a common understanding on the collection process, rates and responsibilities of all parties.

He recalled that the state had, about two years ago, stopped transport unions from collecting revenue on roads, stressing that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had consistently advocated a peaceful, inclusive and transparent approach to revenue administration.

According to him, rather than completely shutting unions out of the revenue system, the state government opted for an arrangement under which a percentage of legitimate revenue accruing to the state would be shared with the unions to support their operations.

Dr. Enehe disclosed that the contract of the former consultant had expired, following which a competitive bidding process was conducted, with Solution Network Consults emerging as the successful bidder

He warned that cash collection and the erection of roadblocks for revenue purposes were now offences under the law, adding that plans were being concluded by the Federal Government for a national task force to clamp down on offenders.

The KGIRS boss further disclosed that the relevant tax legislation was domesticated in Kogi State on December 31, 2025, making it the fourth state in Nigeria to do so.

He said KGIRS had also introduced an automated tracking system capable of monitoring revenue collection in real time.

‘With the automated system, you can buy your ticket for the whole month. Even if you give cash to an agent on the road, that cash cannot be diverted again because I will see it on my dashboard,’ he explained.

Dr. Enehe appealed to stakeholders to approach the review of rates with an open mind, noting that inflation and the rising cost of goods and services had affected the cost of running government and businesses.

He urged the unions and other stakeholders to embrace dialogue, saying the ultimate objective was to create a system that would benefit both the government and the people.

Also speaking, Dr. Ichanyi commended KGIRS for organising the stakeholders’ engagement and stressed the importance of fairness, transparency and convenience in revenue collection.

He identified transparency, elimination of multiple taxation, technology, stakeholder cooperation and accountability as key principles that must guide the new Daily Ticketing regime.

The Special Adviser called for wider sensitisation of taxpayers and transport operators on approved rates, grassroots enlightenment to discourage unauthorised collections, and a functional feedback mechanism for reporting abuses.

Earlier, the Director of Income Tax, Mr Emmanuel Yusufu, clarified that the Infrastructure Maintenance Levy remained essentially unchanged under the tax reform, except for its reclassification and change of name to Daily Ticketing.

He explained that KGIRS had spent about four months reviewing the transition process before selecting Solution Network Consults through an evaluation and competitive bidding exercise.

Responding on behalf of the new consultant, Chief Yomi Charles, supported by Chief Richard Asaje, expressed appreciation to KGIRS and the transport unions for their cooperation.

He pledged that the company would deploy its expertise to improve revenue collection while ensuring that taxpayers and transport operators were not subjected to unnecessary harassment.

The engagement later proceeded into an interactive session, during which leaders of the various transport unions raised concerns over rates, welfare and implementation.

Responding to the issues, Dr. Enehe assured the stakeholders that existing agreements would be respected and improved where necessary, stressing that the objective was to build a transparent, technology-driven and taxpayer-friendly revenue system capable of supporting infrastructure development and public services in Kogi State.

Bohol fast-tracks P5-M cloud-seeding plan amid dry spell

The Bohol provincial government is fast-tracking the procurement of a P5-million cloud-seeding operation as prolonged heat and below-normal water levels threaten thousands of hectares of farmland across the province.

Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte said during the full-council meeting of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on Thursday that the contract could be awarded today after the procurement was placed under an emergency procedure.

Two companies, Pegasus and Fliteline, have expressed interest in conducting the cloud-seeding operation.

The P5-million allocation from the provincial disaster risk reduction and management fund is expected to cover about 31 hours of cloud-seeding flights.

Caberte said the provincial government will also coordinate with Aboitiz to negotiate lower aircraft service costs.

If the contract is awarded as scheduled, cloud seeding could begin on Monday.

Another P7 million allocated by the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Soils and Water Management for a separate cloud-seeding operation remains under procurement.

Critical condition

Larry Pamugas, assistant provincial agriculturist, said about 23,000 hectares of rice fields in Bohol are in critical condition because of reduced rainfall.

He said cloud-seeding operations would be carried out in areas identified based on agricultural and weather data.

Data presented during the PDRRMC meeting also showed that water levels in all major dams in Bohol were below normal.

The prolonged heat has caused cracks in farmland in several areas, particularly in Balilihan, Catigbian, Sagbayan and Carmen. Some rice crops have already been damaged, while creeks and streams have dried up.

Reduced water supply from irrigation systems has further strained farmers, who are hoping for substantial rainfall to save their remaining crops.

The PDRRMC said the cloud-seeding operation is being pursued as a mitigation measure against the continuing effects of El Niño on the province’s agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Laws, guidelines causing difficulty in our operation in Nigeria, CSOs lament

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s civil society sector have lamented the difficulties organisations face navigating the country’s increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment, demanding clearer laws and practical guidelines to help them understand and comply with their obligations.

The stakeholders made the demand at a Scoping and Experience-Sharing Session organised by the LEGIS360 Centre for Advocacy, Development and Public Enlightenment Initiative in Abuja as part of its project, ‘Know the Law, Stay Safe: Strengthening CSO Legislative Literacy and Digital Resilience Against Restrictive Frameworks in Nigeria.’

The session brought together representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs), activists, journalists, human rights defenders, community-based organisations and legal practitioners to examine the legal and regulatory environment affecting civic action in Nigeria.

Participants shared experiences of navigating laws, regulations and administrative requirements governing their activities, highlighting the challenges posed by the volume and complexity of applicable rules.

In a communique signed by LEGIS360 founder, Samuel Folorunsho, the participants also identified difficulties in accessing clear and reliable information on what organisations are required to do to remain compliant.

The communique noted that smaller and grassroots organisations were particularly affected by the situation because of their limited access to legal and compliance support.

According to the participants, the regulatory environment would be easier to navigate if relevant laws and guidelines were clearer and compliance information was readily accessible to civic organisations.

They called for practical tools to help CSOs understand their legal obligations and also proposed the creation of a one-stop regulatory resource bringing together relevant compliance requirements across different legal and regulatory frameworks.

‘Participants also proposed the creation of a one-stop regulatory resource consolidating relevant compliance requirements across different legal and regulatory frameworks,’ the communique read in part.

The proposed resource, according to the stakeholders, would reduce the administrative burden on CSOs and make it easier for organisations to understand and meet their legal obligations without having to rely on multiple, scattered sources of information.

The discussions examined provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, the Cybercrimes Act 2024, as well as emerging proposals relating to the regulation of non-governmental organisations.

Participants also identified knowledge gaps to be addressed through LEGIS360’s forthcoming Legislative Literacy Guide on Civic Space Restrictions in Nigeria.

Folorunsho said the insights gathered from the session would inform the scope, structure and content of the Legislative Literacy Guide to ensure that it responds to the practical challenges faced by civic actors.

He said the project formed part of the organisation’s broader efforts to strengthen informed civic participation, institutional accountability and democratic resilience by making legal and legislative information more accessible to citizens and civil society actors.

He added that consultations with stakeholders across Nigeria’s civic space would continue in the coming months, with the engagements expected to contribute to the development of practical tools aimed at strengthening legislative literacy, regulatory compliance and digital resilience among CSOs and community-based organisations.

Angara visits South Cotabato’s Banga school a day after deadly shooting

Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Saturday, Sept. 19, visited Banga National High School, where teachers dressed in black and parents gathered.

This event comes a day after a shooting inside the campus that left three students dead and several others wounded.

Angara met with teachers, parents and school officials during his visit as the school community grapples with the aftermath of Friday’s tragedy.

The Philippine flag at the school was flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning for those who died in the attack.

Angara’s visit was meant to check the situation of the affected students, teachers and families and to determine the assistance needed by the school.

During his visit, the secretary also acknowledged the need to increase security measures in schools, saying the education sector was not prepared for disasters such as school shootings. ‘We really need to strengthen security measures because we were truly not prepared for shootings like this,’ Angara admitted to reporters.

He said DepEd had largely focused its attention on students’ academic performance, while schools continue to face gaps in physical security, including fencing and security personnel.

Angara said improving school security will require cooperation among DepEd, local governments and communities, noting that the department does not have enough funding for school fences.

He also thanked the South Cotabato provincial government for funding the security guards at Banga National High School.

DepEd is also seeking the assistance of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in looking into the circumstances surrounding the attack.

He wanted to know what could have influenced the 16-year-old student allegedly behind the shooting to carry out the assault.

The secretary also referred to a handwritten note reportedly linked to the student, but he stressed that he was uncertain about its authenticity.

‘We really want to investigate that because we are not familiar with it. We will ask for help from the DICT and the DILG,’ he said.

Boko Haram fighters using AI to build bombs, plan attacks – Study

Boko Haram fighters are using artificial intelligence chatbots developed by major technology companies to build more powerful bombs, plan attacks and solve operational problems during combat, according to research by the University of Cambridge.

Al Jazeera, which reported this on Friday, said the study was based on interviews with 27 former members of the terrorist group’s two factions – the Islamic State West Africa Province and Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihad.

Some of those interviewed said members routinely consulted OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, Elon Musk’s Grok, Meta AI and China’s DeepSeek for technical and military advice before, during and after attacks.

Material obtained by Al Jazeera also showed supporters of the wider Islamic State group exchanging information on how to bypass AI safety controls and obtain weapons-related guidance.

Researchers from Tech Against Terrorism reportedly infiltrated a pro-ISIL online technical forum where users discussed ways of circumventing restrictions intended to prevent chatbots from providing dangerous information.

The findings come amid growing concern over extremist groups’ adoption of emerging technologies. United Nations officials warned the Security Council in February that ISIL and its affiliates were increasingly using advanced AI.

‘There is nothing we haven’t received an answer on,’ a former ISWAP commander told the Cambridge researchers.

Former fighters described an organised system through which selected members were trained to use AI inside insurgent-controlled areas of northeastern Nigeria.

One former commander said trainers assembled senior members in a room and used a projector to demonstrate how AI platforms worked. They were also allegedly taught how to evade safeguards preventing the systems from answering harmful requests.

According to the study, laptops fitted with privacy and encryption tools were supplied to the fighters, while accounts and paid subscriptions to several AI platforms were created for them.

The former members repeatedly identified the wider ISIL movement as the source of the training.

The research suggested that the use of AI went beyond occasional consultations by individual fighters. Both ISWAP and JAS allegedly established specialist AI units staffed by engineers, weapons experts and bomb-makers.

One former JAS commander described a 23-member unit operating from a solar-powered room. The unit reportedly answered technical questions, analysed information and trained senior commanders.

Former fighters said bomb-makers kept laptops nearby while assembling explosive devices and returned to AI chatbots whenever they encountered problems.

Antonia Juelich, who conducted the Cambridge study, said about 10 of the 27 former fighters interviewed spoke about using AI in connection with explosives. This included efforts to increase the destructive power of bombs and extract explosive material from unexploded military ordnance. Uelich said the greatest danger was not merely that fighters could obtain weapons information already available in manuals and online, but that AI could provide tailored responses to particular problems.

She said fighters could describe the materials available to them, ask follow-up questions and receive guidance adapted to their immediate circumstances.

Former members also claimed that AI was consulted on recovering material from unexploded ordnance and adapting commercially available drones to carry explosives.

The technology was reportedly used at different stages of combat. In one account, images transmitted by a fighter wearing a body camera were uploaded to ChatGPT for analysis before fresh instructions were relayed to those on the battlefield.

When commanders once asked a specialist how to operate newly acquired firearms, his answer illustrated how common the practice had become: ‘Just ask Grok.’

The study also alleged that insurgents consulted AI for advice on overcoming trenches dug around military positions, determining the number of fighters needed for operations and analysing why previous attacks had failed.

Researchers from Tech Against Terrorism said ISIL supporters outside Nigeria were similarly discussing how to ‘jailbreak’ AI systems by making them ignore their safety restrictions.

One forum user reportedly compared the process to removing the speed limiter from a vehicle so that it could travel faster than its manufacturer intended.

‘This is the tip of the iceberg,’ Lucas Webber of Tech Against Terrorism said.

Juelich acknowledged that regulating AI could be difficult because questions about military tactics might have legitimate research or journalistic purposes. She, however, said requests for assistance in making bombs were clearly prohibited and should be stopped by companies’ safeguards.

OpenAI prohibits the use of its systems for terrorism, violence and weapons development. Anthropic and Meta also say they use automated safeguards to identify and block dangerous requests, while xAI prohibits attempts to circumvent its safety mechanisms.

Al Jazeera said it contacted OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, Meta and DeepSeek for comments on the findings.

The Cambridge interviews largely concerned the insurgents’ use of AI in 2023 and 2024. Juelich said this made the findings more alarming because AI systems had become substantially more capable since then.

‘I worry about where this is heading,’ she said.