In a continued crackdown on insurgents in Niger State, the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Savannah Shield (OPSS) has arrested five individuals believed to be informants for bandits and terrorists during coordinated operations.
According to Captain Jamilu Muhammed Yahaya, Acting Media Information Officer for the task force, the suspects were taken into custody in two separate incidents, with authorities recovering mobile phones, cash, and other incriminating items.
On June 6, 2026, troops conducting a routine patrol near the Doro axis in Wawa, Borgu Local Government Area, detained three suspects. Investigations revealed that the individuals were linked to a bandit group operating around Duru, near the Kainji Lake National Park. Among the items seized were two Tecno keypad phones, an MP3 device containing propaganda and threatening messages about an abduction in Kaduna State and a ₦60 million ransom, and ₦113,400 in cash.
In a separate operation, soldiers from the 221 Battalion under JTF-NC OPSS apprehended two more suspects during a patrol along the cantonment perimeter. These individuals were found to have been gathering intelligence on the military facility. A search of one suspect’s phone uncovered a photo of a beheaded person dated May 2, 2026, suggesting possible ties to terrorist groups. Recovered items included an Android phone, a Tecno keypad phone, a motorcycle, and ₦86,100.
All suspects and evidence are now in custody for further investigation, as the military continues efforts to dismantle criminal networks in the region.