COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATIONS: Troops Arrest Terrorists Collaborators, Eliminate Scores, Seize Weapons, Rescue Captives Across N’East
The Nigerian military has intensified its counter-terrorism campaign across the North East, achieving significant gains in ongoing operations aimed at dismantling terrorist logistics networks and restoring security in communities affected by insurgency.
Operating under the banner of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), troops in collaboration with air components, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), local hunters, and other community stakeholders have conducted a series of coordinated offensives across Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States. These efforts have resulted in the arrest of several suspected logistics couriers, recovery of weapons and explosives, and the neutralisation of insurgents attempting to move through the region undetected.
On July 10, troops working with members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) arrested two suspected insurgent collaborators at the Biu main market in Borno State. The suspects, Isah Abdullahi (45) and Abdullahi Mohammed (35), both from Liya village in Biu Local Government Area, were apprehended while attempting to collect supplies allegedly sent from Kano to the Biu Motor Park. Recovered items included 13 pairs of military desert boots, 20 high-wattage 9-volt batteries, and five pairs of slippers, all labeled with Isah’s phone number.
In a similar operation on July 13, troops acting on intelligence and supported by the CJTF apprehended another suspected logistics courier, Shaibu Bulama, at the Damasak Motor Park in Mobbar LGA of Yobe State. Bulama, a 65-year-old native of Alagarno village in Yunusari LGA, was found in possession of a white Toyota pickup truck loaded with two bags of rice, pesticide sprayers, five gallons of fuel, and other assorted items concealed under the seats—items suspected to be meant for terrorist use.
That same day, troops launched a targeted ambush on insurgents attempting to cross between Ngoshe and Agapalwa in Gwoza LGA. One terrorist was neutralised, while others fled, abandoning a bicycle and additional supplies. In the Malam Fatori area, troops exploiting the aftermath of Operation Sand Fury discovered a partially buried corpse believed to be that of a terrorist along an infiltration route near Lake Chad. An AK-47 rifle, magazine, and rounds of ammunition were also recovered at the scene.
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Also on July 13, over 3,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were safely escorted by troops from Bama to their ancestral homes in Darel-Jamel. The military described the successful return of the IDPs as a key milestone in the government’s ongoing stabilisation and resettlement efforts.
In Bama LGA, troops conducting farm patrols near Banki were alerted by a farmer who discovered an improvised explosive device (IED) buried in his field. A joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team safely detonated the device, which included primed mortar and artillery bombs. On the same day, another IED was uncovered by troops in Molai along the Maiduguri–Damboa Road axis. The EOD team recovered and safely destroyed components including pressure plates and batteries suspected to have been intended for future attacks.
Elsewhere, troops acting on credible intelligence intercepted a terrorist movement near Tinush in Kalabalge LGA. During the operation, they recovered three AK-47 magazines, six rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, two rocket-propelled grenade bombs, 57 rounds of PKM belted links, and a locally fabricated pistol.
In a related development, 16 family members of insurgents—comprising four adult women and 12 children—surrendered to troops in the Bama axis. Preliminary investigations revealed they fled from the Bakura Jega enclave in a bid to escape the mounting pressure from military offensives in the area.
Further extending the campaign to disrupt terrorist logistics, troops on July 14 stormed Kudzum in Michika LGA of Adamawa State. During the raid, they recovered three motorcycles, 105 jerricans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and a tricycle suspected to be part of a smuggling network used by insurgents.
A senior military source told counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama that the current combination of clearance operations, ambushes, counter-IED actions, and deliberate strangulation of terrorist logistics is part of a renewed strategy to degrade insurgents’ capabilities and restrict their ability to threaten civilian populations.
“These recent operations underscore the commitment of the Armed Forces to maintaining pressure on the terrorists and limiting their movement, logistics resupply, and capacity to threaten civilian populations,” the source stated.
The military has reaffirmed its resolve to sustain the momentum of these operations in close collaboration with state governments, local vigilantes, and international partners to ensure long-term peace and stability in the region.
By PRNigeria
