Troops arrest suspected Arab ISIS operative after failed ISWAP attack in Borno
Nigerian Troops Arrest Suspected ISIS Operative in Borno State
NIGERIA — Troops involved in Operation Hadin Kai have apprehended a suspected foreign operative with alleged ties to the Islamic State (ISIS) during ongoing military efforts in Borno State.
The suspect was arrested following a failed attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants on Cross Kauwa, located in the Kukawa Local Government Area. The incident prompted intensified security operations in the region.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency analyst focused on the Lake Chad area, reported that government forces successfully repelled the assault on Cross Kauwa. Subsequently, troops conducted follow-up operations along the retrieval routes utilized by the insurgents as they fled.
During these operations, security personnel recovered various operational materials reportedly abandoned by the assailants. Items included high-frequency hand-held radios and additional communication equipment, which are believed to be integral to the terrorist group’s command structure.
Makama’s report indicated that intelligence gathered from the recovered equipment enabled troops to extend their operations into the Lake Chad Islands and Abadam Local Government Area. There, a suspect of Moroccan descent, suspected of links to ISIS, was detained.
Military sources noted that this individual had been previously identified during a forensic analysis of video footage from a camcorder connected to a terrorist cameraman killed in the failed Cross Kauwa operation.
The suspect has since been evacuated to a secure military facility by a Nigerian Air Force helicopter, where he is currently undergoing interrogation. Authorities are investigating his alleged involvement with ISIS, including his role in operational planning, training, and communications within the organization.
