Troops arrest suspected foreign terrorist fighter, illegal immigrant, six logistics suppliers in Borno

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By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

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Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have arrested a suspected foreign terrorist fighter, an alleged illegal immigrant and six suspected terrorist logistics suppliers during intelligence-driven operations in Borno State.

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The Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday in Maiduguri.

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According to him, troops of the 115 Task Force Battalion, Sector 4 OPHK, carried out an operation on July 19, 2026, in Lassa, Dille General Area of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, where they apprehended Musa Fashir, 32, a Sudanese national suspected to be a foreign terrorist fighter and collaborator.

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Goni said preliminary intelligence suggested that Fashir had links with terrorist elements operating in the region.

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The troops also arrested Mary Florence, 36, who claimed to be an illegal immigrant from Ghana. He said investigations were ongoing to verify her identity, circumstances surrounding her presence in the area and any possible links to criminal networks.

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He added that both suspects were in military custody undergoing profiling and interrogation to establish the extent of their activities and possible connections with terrorist groups.

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In a separate operation, troops of Sector 1 OPHK intercepted a suspected terrorist logistics network and arrested six individuals allegedly supplying materials to terrorist elements in the North East.

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The operation, conducted along a suspected terrorist logistics route, led to the arrest of the suspects while travelling in five vehicles conveying items believed to be intended for terrorist use.

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Items recovered included 202 cartons of herbicides, one jerrycan containing suspected acid, a Starlink wireless internet communication system, six bags of NPK fertilizer, 10 bags of rice, 50 hoes and 20 packs of knapsack sprayer pumps.

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The military spokesperson said some of the recovered items, particularly the NPK fertilizer and suspected acid, would undergo technical and forensic examination to determine their possible applications, including whether they could be used in the production of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

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He said the suspects and recovered items had been handed over to the appropriate Military Intelligence Regiment for further investigation aimed at identifying other members of the alleged logistics network and their sponsors.

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Goni stated that ongoing operations by troops had continued to weaken terrorist supply chains, affecting their access to food, medical supplies, communication equipment and other resources.

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He said the military would sustain operations against terrorists, their financiers, logistics suppliers, informants and collaborators to restrict their ability to carry out attacks.

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The spokesperson urged members of the public to continue providing security agencies with credible information on suspicious persons, movements and activities within their communities, noting that public cooperation remains crucial to restoring peace and security in the North East.

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