Security forces from Operation Hadin Kai have taken into custody a 28-year-old man believed to be assisting Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. The arrest was announced on Wednesday by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency and security analyst focusing on the Lake Chad region.
According to Makama, who cited military sources, the suspect, Abdullahi Saidu Buba, was captured on June 1 after intelligence-led surveillance and reconnaissance operations. A tactical drone deployed by the Naval Brigade Lake Chad observed Buba in the company of suspected armed fighters, who dispersed upon detection. The suspect was followed as he moved near Charlie Company of the 196 Amphibious Battalion, where troops intercepted and arrested him.
During initial questioning, Buba claimed to be a cattle herder from Kwatan Yobe in Kukawa and said he lives north of Dumba. He stated he often travels between Dumba and Baga. The suspect reportedly admitted receiving 1,000 naira from suspected terrorists to purchase bread for them while he was on his way to Baga to visit his sick brother, Illiasu.
Items recovered from Buba included a wristwatch, a lighter, a bottle of cow milk (nono), a power bank, an Android smartphone, paracetamol tablets, a Fulani hat, and 30,000 naira in cash. Military authorities have stated that the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.