Police dispute army’s claim of arresting suspected suicide bomber in Borno

The Borno State Police Command has challenged the Nigerian Army’s claim that a suspected suicide bomber was arrested in the state, saying the report released by the military was inaccurate and misleading.

The army, through its Joint Task Force (Operation Hadin Kai), had said troops detained a suspect, Abubakar Mustapha, on December 29, 2025, in the Banki area of Bama Local Government, alleging he was in possession of materials for making an improvised explosive device (IED).

It described the operation as a significant success in counter-terrorism efforts.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Borno State Command, ASP Nahum Daso, told Punch Online that the suspect was actually apprehended by the police, not the army, and that no active IED components were found on him.

According to Daso, the items seized — including wires, old phone batteries and scrap materials — did not indicate any explosive device fabrication or imminent attack.

Daso said the suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue to clarify the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

The police also urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information that could cause alarm and rely only on credible official sources for accurate updates.