Troops arrest four suspected terrorist collaborators in Borno, Yobe

Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, have arrested four suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP collaborators in separate operations in Yobe and Borno as part of ongoing intelligence-led efforts to dismantle terrorist support networks in the North-East.

The arrests were disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni.

According to the statement, troops of the 159 Battalion under Sector 2 carried out a cordon-and-search operation in Geidam, Yobe State, on August 3, following credible intelligence.

ALSO READ: Ogoni clean-up: HYPREP highlights progress 15 years after UNEP report

The operation led to the arrest of two suspected terrorist collaborators.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly supplied hard drugs and other logistics to Boko Haram fighters, thereby aiding insurgent activities.

Items recovered from the suspects included a large quantity of suspected Indian hemp, mobile phones of various brands, power banks, scissors, knives, torchlights, lighters, cigarette rolls, Pregabalin capsules, Piscof syrup, a National Identity Card, Permanent Voter’s Card, ATM cards and ₦14,530 in cash.

In a separate operation conducted at about 3:30 p.m. on the same day, troops of Sector 3 Garrison, working alongside the 242 Reconnaissance Battalion, intensified operations targeting terrorist supply routes in Monguno, Borno State.

The operation resulted in the arrest of two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers.

The military said the suspects confessed during preliminary interrogation to transporting food items and other supplies to ISWAP fighters operating in Kwatan Dowoshi village, Kukawa Local Government Area.

Recovered items included 11 cartons and 192 sachets of assorted biscuits, one carton of Peak milk, 10 mudu of sugar, nine bars of Viva soap, six headlamps, two bags and 16 rolls of sachet garri, three packs of lighters, two Tecno button phones, one assault knife, one charm belt, four prayer beads, six packs of herbal medicine, ₦6,600 in cash and other items.

The statement added that troops of the 222 Battalion also intercepted 20 suspected family members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorists during a routine patrol along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

The group comprised nine women, two men, eight female minors and one male minor.

According to the military, the individuals told investigators they fled Gezuwa following sustained military offensives against terrorist enclaves in the area.

They have since been handed over to the 21 Military Intelligence Regiment for profiling and further investigation.

Captain Goni said all arrested suspects and recovered exhibits had been transferred to the appropriate Military Intelligence units for further investigation.

He said the operations demonstrated the effectiveness of Operation HADIN KAI’s intelligence-driven strategy in disrupting terrorist logistics, dismantling support networks and denying insurgents access to critical supplies.

The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters and urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations across the North-East.