Troops arrest wife of wanted terror kingpin in Benue
Nigerian Troops Arrest Wife of Notorious Terrorist Leader
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Defence Headquarters confirmed on Tuesday that military personnel apprehended the spouse of a wanted terrorist kingpin during coordinated operations across the country.
Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, reported the arrest of Aisha Auta, among 20 suspects detained during activities conducted from February 13 to 19, 2026. The arrests are part of ongoing efforts to maintain security and combat terrorism in Nigeria.
Auta was captured on February 19, 2026, in the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State by troops participating in Operation Whirl Stroke. Gen. Onoja emphasized that the apprehension of Auta could lead to critical intelligence regarding terrorist financing and operational networks.
During the briefing, he detailed a significant engagement on the same day, where troops acted on intelligence regarding terrorist activities in Kumeh village. Following this information, soldiers mobilized to the area and engaged armed individuals. “Troops neutralized several terrorists, while others fled with injuries,” Gen. Onoja stated. Troops subsequently searched the area, recovering a cache of arms and ammunition of various calibres.
“Overall, these operations yielded significant outcomes, including the arrest of 11 terrorists, one of whom is Aisha Auta, whose husband is a high-profile figure in terrorist circles,” he added. In addition to the arrests, the operations led to the rescue of 39 individuals who had been abducted.
On February 16, Gen. Onoja reported that soldiers on routine patrol along the Maiduguri–Magumeri road intercepted five suspects in possession of 37 million Naira. The suspects claimed the funds were intended for distribution to vulnerable communities on behalf of Action Against Hunger, an international NGO. Gen. Onoja noted that both the suspects and the money are currently in custody pending further investigation to assess the legitimacy of the transaction and to eliminate potential links to terrorist financing or aid diversion.
