Daud Olatunji
Nigerian troops have arrested a suspected foreign operative linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) and killed an alleged ISWAP spy in separate counter-insurgency operations in Borno State, in what security sources described as significant breakthroughs in the fight against terrorism.
The foreign suspect, believed to be an Arab of Moroccan origin, was arrested during a follow-up operation after troops repelled a coordinated terrorist attack on Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area.
Security sources said the troops launched extensive search-and-pursuit missions after forcing the insurgents to retreat, abandoning weapons and other operational equipment.
According to the sources, soldiers recovered high-frequency hand-held radios and other communication devices believed to have formed part of the terrorists’ command-and-control network.
The recovered materials reportedly provided fresh intelligence that enabled troops to extend operations into the Lake Chad Islands axis and towards Abadam Local Government Area, where the foreign suspect was apprehended while attempting to flee.
Counter-insurgency publication, Zagazola Makama, quoted military sources as saying the suspect had earlier come under intelligence scrutiny following a forensic examination of video footage retrieved from a camcorder recovered after the Cross Kauwa encounter.
The camcorder was said to belong to a terrorist cameraman who was killed during the failed assault.
Military intelligence reportedly matched footage from the device with the arrested suspect, leading to his identification.
The suspect has since been airlifted by the Nigerian Air Force to a secure military facility, where he is undergoing interrogation.
Investigators are expected to determine his exact role within the terrorist network, how he entered Nigeria, his alleged links to the transnational ISIS network, and whether he participated in operational planning, training or propaganda activities.
Security officials believe the arrest could provide valuable intelligence on the financing, structure and international connections of terrorist groups operating within the Lake Chad Basin.
The sources added that intelligence agencies have long maintained that foreign nationals from countries including Iraq, Somalia and Morocco provide technical expertise to extremist groups in the region, particularly in communications, media production, explosives handling and strategic coordination.
They, however, noted that further details of the investigation remain classified due to ongoing military operations.
Meanwhile, troops also neutralised a suspected ISWAP spy who allegedly attempted to infiltrate a military position in Konduga Local Government Area.
The incident reportedly occurred on July 11 after surveillance cameras detected the suspect approaching the military formation from the Yuwe axis of the Sambisa Forest.
Military sources said troops deployed in an ambush swiftly engaged the suspect before he could access the defensive position, killing him during the exchange.
The operation, according to the sources, underscored the effectiveness of surveillance technology and coordinated ground operations in detecting and neutralising security threats before they compromise military formations.
The latest development follows a series of recent counter-terrorism successes in the North-East.
In June, troops arrested another suspected ISWAP spy, identified as Muhammad Shuaibu, over an alleged plot to attack two military bases in Borno State.
