Troops arrest suspected ISWAP informant in Yobe

Troops of the 159 Battalion, working with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), have arrested a suspected informant linked to terrorists operating in the North-East in Kanamma, Yobe State.

Security sources said the suspect, identified as Malam Fantami, a native of Dikwa, was apprehended during a security operation carried out by troops deployed in the area.

According to the sources, the arrest followed credible intelligence suggesting that the suspect might be providing information to terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Items reportedly recovered from the suspect at the time of his arrest include a mobile phone, a smartwatch, prayer beads, a motorcycle key and ₦7,000 in cash.

Security personnel who conducted a preliminary examination of the suspect’s mobile phone allegedly discovered several suspicious materials, including photographs of motorcycles, large sums of money, AK-47 rifles, and other items believed to be connected to terrorist activities.

A security source said the materials raised serious suspicion that the suspect may have been serving as a logistics informant or intelligence asset for insurgents operating in the region.

The suspect is currently being held in military custody and undergoing further interrogation to determine the extent of his involvement and to identify potential collaborators.

Military authorities said the arrest is part of ongoing counter-terrorism operations aimed at dismantling the intelligence and supply networks supporting insurgent groups in the North-East.

Kanamma, located in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State near the border with Niger Republic, has long been considered a strategic corridor often exploited by insurgents for movement and supply routes.