Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have arrested a 25-year-old man suspected of working with the Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist group in Borno State.
The suspect, identified as Muhammad Mustapha, a native of Monguno Local Government Area, was arrested around 9:00 p.m. on July 16, 2026, during a night patrol and identification operation.
According to military sources, the operation was carried out by combined troops of the 403 Amphibious Brigade/130 Battalion (Motorised) alongside personnel of the Nigerian Borderless Logistics Corps (NBLC) and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) under Operation DESERT SANITY V.
During preliminary interrogation, Mustapha reportedly confessed to being a member of a Boko Haram/ISWAP cell operating in the Kadia area, north of Mairari town.
He allegedly admitted that his role was to monitor the movement of troops carrying out shoulder clearance operations along the Baga–Cross Kauwa Main Supply Route (MSR) and relay intelligence to the terrorist group.
Security sources further disclosed that the suspect also confessed to supplying logistics and carrying out assigned tasks for the insurgents, helping to support terrorist operations in the Lake Chad region.
The suspect is currently in the custody of the 403 Amphibious Brigade, where he is undergoing further investigation as security agencies work to gather more intelligence from the arrest.
Military authorities described the arrest as another significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle the intelligence and logistics networks that support terrorist activities in Nigeria’s North-East.
They, however, noted that while the general security situation across the Operation HADIN KAI theatre remains relatively calm, it is still unpredictable. Troops, they said, remain on high alert and fully prepared to respond to any emerging threats.
Source: Military security sources. The allegations against the suspect remain under investigation, and no court has determined any criminal liability at this time.
