BY: ABDULKADIR M LAWAN, AUGUST 04, 2026/ 02:53PM
Women and children suspected to be family members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, JAS, terrorists have been intercepted by troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, along the Gezuwa axis in Konduga Local Government Area, Borno State.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Captain Mohammed Goni, Operation Hadin Kai's spokesman, the group of 20 persons fled their settlement following intense military pressure on terrorist enclaves.
The intercepted persons comprised nine women, two men, eight female minors and one male minor.
Capt. Goni said during preliminary investigation, they disclosed that they escaped from Gezuwa after troops intensified operations against their settlement.
The individuals have since been handed over to the 21 Military Intelligence Regiment for further profiling and necessary action.
In separate intelligence-led operations, troops also arrested four suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP collaborators and recovered drugs and logistics items in Yobe and Borno States.
In Geidam Town, Yobe State, on August 3, 202, troops of 159 Battalion under Sector 2 arrested two suspected terrorist collaborators during a cordon-and-search operation.
The statement said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly supplied hard drugs and other logistics to Boko Haram terrorists.
Items recovered include a large quantity of suspected Indian hemp, multiple mobile phones, power banks, knives, torchlights, Pregabalin capsules, Piscof syrup, National Identity Card, PVC, ATM cards, and the sum of N14,530.
Also on August 3, troops of Sector 3 Garrison and 242 Reconnaissance Battalion arrested two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers in Monguno Town, Borno State.
The suspects confessed to conveying food items and other supplies to ISWAP terrorists operating in Kwatan Dowoshi Village, Kukawa LGA.
Recovered items include 11 cartons and 192 sachets of biscuits, one carton of Peak milk, 10 mudu of sugar, nine bars of soap, six headlamps, 16 rolls of sachet garri, lighters, Tecno phones, an assault knife, charm belt, prayer beads, herbal medicine, and N6,600.
The arrested suspects and all recovered exhibits have been handed over to appropriate Military Intelligence units for further investigation.
Operation Hadin Kai said the operations underscore its intelligence-driven approach in disrupting terrorist logistics, dismantling support networks, and denying insurgents access to critical supplies.
The military urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to facilitate ongoing counter-terrorism operations and the restoration of lasting peace in the North East.