● Shockwaves ripple through Maiduguri as engineer recalls feared primary school teacher now accused of masterminding terror attacks
Maiduguri woke to a chilling revelation this week as a former pupil publicly identified an alleged terror kingpin as his primary school teacher, underscoring how deeply extremism can burrow into everyday life.
Bashir Bukar Mohammed, an engineer, stunned social media on Sunday when he disclosed that Shariff Umar, the man arrested by the Nigerian Army as the alleged chief coordinator of a suicide bombing network in the North East, once taught him at Aliyaskiri Primary School in Maiduguri.
“Even then, he was a very wicked teacher,” Mohammed wrote. “May Allah continue to expose them.”
That personal recollection now collides with grave allegations detailed in an official government statement announcing Umar’s arrest by Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), the military’s counter-insurgency force in the region.
According to the statement, Umar—also known as Yusuf—was apprehended following intelligence-led cordon-and-search operations carried out in the Kalmari area of Maiduguri on 31 December 2025. Fourteen suspects linked to suicide bombing activities were arrested in the operation.
Investigators say painstaking follow-up interrogations peeled back the layers of a tightly run terror cell. A suspect currently in custody, Ibrahim Muhammad, reportedly gave a clear and consistent identification of Umar as the ringleader, the man who recruited, prepared, directed, and dispatched suicide bombers, while also coordinating the supply of IED components.
Security sources further allege that Umar directly coordinated the 24 December 2025 suicide attack at the Gamboru Market Mosque, where an accomplice identified as Adamu detonated an explosive device that killed five innocent worshippers. Umar was also named as the mastermind behind a foiled suicide bombing attempt in Damaturu, allegedly handing over explosive components in Maiduguri himself.
In a development that has unsettled many, investigators say the network extended into the home. Umar’s wife, Yagana Modu, was linked to the investigation, while his stepdaughter, Amina, reportedly confirmed having seen a suspect bomber within their residence—evidence officials say highlights how terror networks exploit family and community cover.
Military authorities say all suspects remain firmly in custody as multi-layered investigations continue, aimed at dismantling the entire network, identifying additional collaborators, and recovering any remaining explosives or logistical assets.
For residents of Maiduguri, the story has struck a raw nerve: a man remembered as a harsh teacher now stands accused of orchestrating deadly violence—an unsettling reminder that the face of terror is not always a stranger’s.
