Ali-Keffi Claims Arrest, Solitary Detention After Leading High-Level Anti-Terror Operation
Retired Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi has alleged that he was forced into retirement, arrested, and detained for 64 days after leading a presidentially sanctioned counter-terrorism operation that successfully apprehended top Boko Haram commanders, including what he described as the “real leader” of the terror group.
In a detailed letter addressed to President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division of the Nigerian Army claimed he faced retaliation rather than commendation following the breakthrough.
Ali-Keffi was appointed to head Operation Service Wide, an elite investigative task force created to trace Boko Haram’s operational structure, funding channels, and internal collaborators.
According to him, the operation exposed a network of terror financiers involving senior government officials, military personnel, and major financial institutions. But shortly after the arrests were made, he said powerful interests moved to halt the probe.
“The moment we arrested some of these individuals and started exposing the financial pipelines of terror, the backlash began,” he stated, alleging that entrenched interests sought to suppress the findings and silence those involved in the operation.
The retired General further raised concerns about the 2021 plane crash that killed the then Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, suggesting that the circumstances surrounding the incident required renewed scrutiny.
He described Attahiru as a firm supporter of aggressive action against terror financiers and alleged that his death may not have been accidental.
Ali-Keffi urged President Tinubu to order a transparent investigation into the crash and the alleged sabotage of Nigeria’s anti-terrorism efforts.
The explosive claims—now circulating widely—have sparked calls for accountability and a thorough government response.
Though officials have not yet commented, security analysts say the allegations, if proven, point to deep internal compromises undermining the fight against insurgency.
Ali-Keffi’s revelations have intensified national debate over who benefits from the prolonged conflict and why whistleblowers within the system appear to face punishment rather than protection.
The development adds a new layer to Nigeria’s complex security landscape, raising urgent questions about internal sabotage and the integrity of counter-terrorism operations nationwide.
