Troops Arrest Teenage ISWAP Courier, Link Suspect to Jilli Operations
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have arrested a 15-year-old suspected logistics courier for the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Ngamdu, Borno State, with preliminary findings linking him to recent insurgent attacks and ongoing military operations in the Jilli axis.
Security sources disclosed that the suspect, identified as Tijjani, was apprehended on Sunday while allegedly attempting to procure supplies for insurgent fighters operating along the Ngamdu–Benisheik corridor.
According to the sources, the teenager confessed during initial interrogation to participating in recent attacks carried out in Benisheik and Ngamdu. He reportedly stated that the group mobilised from Jilli, a known insurgent enclave in Gubio Local Government Area, before executing the operations and subsequently returning to the same location.
The suspect further revealed that he had been redeployed from Jilli with the sum of N850,000 to obtain logistics for fighters in the area. He was arrested before completing the mission.
He also indicated that several insurgents remained at the Jilli enclave but could not confirm their status following recent airstrikes conducted by the Nigerian military in the area.
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Military sources said the arrest provides critical intelligence on ISWAP’s logistics architecture, highlighting Jilli’s role as a strategic staging ground and supply hub for insurgent activities in the North-East.
The development comes shortly after the Air Component of OPHK carried out precision airstrikes targeting terrorist positions within the Jilli axis. The operation, based on sustained Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), struck a تجمع of suspected insurgents, destroying vehicles and motorcycles used for mobility and logistics while neutralising several fighters.
Field intelligence reports indicated that some insurgents initially dispersed upon sighting military aircraft but later regrouped to evacuate casualties under cover of darkness.
Military authorities have consistently described Jilli as a critical insurgent-controlled zone, where activities, including localised trading points, are exploited for coordination and supply distribution.
Security analysts note that the use of minors as logistics couriers reflects an adaptive strategy by insurgent groups to sustain their supply chains while evading detection.
The military has reiterated its commitment to intensifying both air and ground operations to dismantle terrorist networks, disrupt logistics channels, and prevent further attacks on security personnel and civilian populations.
Investigations into the suspect’s activities and potential collaborators are ongoing.
By PRNigeria
