Wanted Boko Haram spy arrested in Monguno over Cross Kauwa attack, kidnappings

By Zagazola Makama

Security operatives have arrested a wanted Boko Haram spy in Monguno, Borno State, in connection with the recent terrorist attack on Cross Kauwa, intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama.

The suspect, identified as Abulfatahi, was apprehended on July 27 during an intelligence-led operation following efforts to track members of a terrorist intelligence network operating in the area.

Sources disclosed that two other members of the same network had earlier been arrested and transferred to the Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre (JIFC) for further investigation.

During preliminary interrogation, Abulfatahi reportedly confessed to working for a Boko Haram commander identified as Akilu, who is said to control terrorist activities in Dabar Masara and Garin Mace.

According to the sources, the suspect admitted to collecting taxes on behalf of the terrorist leader and facilitating the selection of individuals for abduction around Monguno.

Investigators also recovered two telephone numbers allegedly linked to Akilu from the suspect’s mobile phone as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle the terrorist network.

The sources said security agencies are conducting further investigations to identify additional collaborators, establish the full extent of the network’s activities, and support ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the Lake Chad region.

A comprehensive investigation report is expected to be submitted upon the conclusion of the ongoing inquiry.

Wanted Boko Haram spy arrested in Monguno over Cross Kauwa attack, kidnappings

Three suspected ISWAP fighters surrender to troops in Damasak after fleeing sustained bombardment

By Zagazola Makama

Three suspected Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have surrendered to troops of the Nigerian military in Damasak, Borno State, citing exhaustion and sustained military bombardment of their camps.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects surrendered at about 4:50 p.m. on July 28 to troops of Headquarters 5 Brigade in Damasak during ongoing counter-insurgency operations under Operation Hadin Kai.

The surrendered suspects were identified as Abba Musa Dogo, 24; Abubakar Bargaji, 28; and Ibrahim Abubakar, 16.

Preliminary interrogation revealed that they escaped from terrorist camps at Sabon Gari and Tunbun Mota, reportedly controlled by ISWAP commanders Abu Fatima and Abu Ayuba.

According to the sources, the suspects attributed their decision to surrender to fatigue and the sustained aerial and ground bombardment of their enclaves by Nigerian troops, which they said had made survival increasingly difficult.

The suspects also disclosed that they had been trained as gunboat operators and anti-aircraft gunners for operations in the Lake Chad region.

They further confessed that weapons were only issued to them before specific operations and were retrieved by their commanders immediately after the missions, suggesting a tightly controlled weapons management system within the terrorist group.

The sources said the three suspects expressed their readiness to renounce insurgency and embrace peace.

They are currently in military custody and are undergoing further profiling and investigation in line with established procedures.

The latest surrender adds to the growing number of terrorists abandoning the insurgency amid sustained military offensives targeting terrorist enclaves across the Lake Chad region under Operation Hadin Kai.

Three suspected ISWAP fighters surrender to troops in Damasak after fleeing sustained bombardment

Police arrest man for allegedly hacking father to death with axe in Benue

By Zagazola Makama

Operatives of the Benue State Police Command have arrested a man for allegedly hacking his father to death with an axe following a family dispute in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state.

Police sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident was reported at about 8:00 a.m. on July 25 by the Clan Head of Turan-Tse Twar, Injorov Tongov, Zaki Akor Kpan.

According to the report, the tragic incident occurred at about 2:00 p.m. on July 24 after the suspect, identified as Terfa Nyikwagh, engaged in a heated argument with his father, Mr. Nyikwagh Abor, over the death of his brother, Ternenge Uwuh.

The sources said the disagreement escalated, during which the suspect allegedly attacked his father with an axe, inflicting fatal injuries.

Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Katsina-Ala led a patrol team to the scene, where the suspect was arrested without resistance.

The body of the deceased was evacuated and deposited at the Gondozua Hospital Mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

The suspect remains in police custody, while investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident before prosecution.

Police arrest man for allegedly hacking father to death with axe in Benue