Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have arrested a suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram collaborator accused of attempting to lure members of the Hybrid Forces into a terrorist trap in Gwoza, Borno State.
An operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday stated that the suspect was apprehended on Friday at the Government Secondary School (GSS) located within the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Gwoza Town.
The report indicated that the suspect was allegedly working with terrorists operating around the Mandara Mountains. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was on a mission to persuade hybrid forces personnel to defect and join their former colleagues in terrorist camps.
According to the report, the plan was designed to lure the personnel into an ambush where they would be killed and their weapons seized. The report added that the suspect had earlier held discussions with a Boko Haram commander operating in the mountainous area before his arrest.
Troops of the 26 Task Force Brigade in Gwoza are currently holding the suspect while further investigations continue. Military authorities stated that the arrest underscored the continued efforts by troops to dismantle terrorist support networks and prevent infiltration of local security structures in the North-east.
Troops Rescue Six Kidnapped Victims in Zamfara
In a separate operation, troops of Operation Fasan Yamma rescued six kidnapped victims who escaped from captivity following sustained military pressure and air interdiction operations in Zamfara State.
This information is contained in a military operational report made available to NAN. The report said the victims were intercepted by troops of 1 Brigade Combat Team 6 deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gwashi in Bukuyyum Local Government Area.
The victims were rescued on Friday along the Gwashi-Bukuyyum road after fleeing from their captors. They escaped following an air interdiction operation conducted by the Nigerian Air Force west of Bagega Forest.
The rescued victims were identified as Muhammad Sani from Masama, Junaidu Muhammad from Gandun Malam, Abubakar Abdullahi and Abubakar Barau from Maibaka, Surajo Abubakar of Dogon Daji, and Nasiru Hakilu of Adabka village, all from Bukuyyum Local Government Area of Zamfara.
The report said the victims had spent several months in captivity before regaining their freedom. Efforts are ongoing to reunite them with their respective families and provide necessary support.
The rescue came amid intensified military operations against terrorist groups operating in forests and remote communities across the North-West. Military authorities reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal elements until all kidnapped victims are rescued and communities secured.
