Background Story: “Terrorist - I Was Paid N100,000 to Bomb”

SUMMARY

The background story of “I Was Paid N100,000 to Bomb” comes from the confession of a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber, Ibrahim Mohammed, who admitted he was recruited and paid ₦100,000 to carry out a bombing attack on worshippers in Maiduguri, Borno State. He was arrested by Nigerian troops working with local hunters in Yobe State in late December 2025.

Background Story: “Terrorist - I Was Paid N100,000 to Bomb”

The phrase originates from the confession of Ibrahim Mohammed, a suspected Boko Haram operative from Michika in Adamawa State.

He was captured by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with local hunters, during a raid in Yobe State. His arrest followed suspicions raised by his unusual presence among a group of Almajirai in Damaturu.

During interrogation, Ibrahim revealed that he had been paid between ₦70,000 and ₦100,000 to carry out suicide bombing missions.

Specifically, he confessed to involvement in the December 24, 2025 bombing at Gamboru Market Mosque in Maiduguri, Borno State. That attack tragically killed five worshippers and injured 32 others.

According to his account, Boko Haram commanders operating between Adamawa State and the Mandara Mountains directed the operation. He stated that he and others were given two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to plant in mosques, including the Izala Mosque in Maiduguri.

His chilling words, “I was paid N100,000 to bomb worshippers”, exposed how terrorism in Nigeria has become a transactional enterprise, where financial inducement is used to recruit and motivate operatives.

Counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama shared details of the confession, noting that Ibrahim’s case illustrates the broader strategy of Boko Haram: exploiting poverty and desperation to sustain its violent campaigns.

The revelation underscores how insurgent groups weaponize economic hardship, offering relatively small sums to lure individuals into committing atrocities.

This confession has sparked renewed debate about the socio-economic drivers of terrorism in Nigeria. It highlights the vulnerability of communities where unemployment and poverty make such payments enticing, and it emphasizes the need for counter-terrorism strategies that combine military action with economic empowerment and community resilience.

Ofcourse, we already reported that the background story of “I Was Paid N100,000 to Bomb” is tied to the confession of Ibrahim Mohammed, a Boko Haram suspect arrested in December 2025, who admitted being paid ₦100,000 to bomb worshippers in Maiduguri. His case reveals the transactional nature of terrorism in Nigeria and the exploitation of poverty by extremist groups