Nigerian military arrests ISWAP's teenage logistics courier linked to Jilli attacks

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have arrested a 15-year-old suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) logistics courier in Ngamdu, Borno, linking him to recent attacks in the area.

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Security source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the suspect was apprehended on Sunday while attempting to procure supplies for insurgents operating along the Ngamdu–Benisheik corridor.

According to the source, the ISWAP suspect confessed during preliminary interrogation to participating in recent attacks on Benisheik and Ngamdu.

The source said that the suspect disclosed that the fighters mobilised from Jilli in Gubio Local Government Area before carrying out the attacks.

“Before the attack, we came from Jilli and returned there afterwards,” the suspect was quoted as saying.

Military sources also said that the suspect revealed that he was redeployed from Jilli on Saturday with N850,000 to procure logistics for other ISWAP fighters.

“I was sent from Jilli with N850,000 to collect supplies from Ngamdu, but I was arrested by troops.

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“I left behind other fighters at the Jilli enclave but cannot confirm developments there now following recent military airstrikes,” the suspect said.

The military source said the arrest provided further insight into ISWAP’s operational and logistics network, highlighting Jilli as a staging ground.

The development comes less than 24 hours after the Air Component of OPHK conducted precision airstrikes on terrorist locations within the Jilli axis.

The strikes followed sustained Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions targeting insurgent logistics movements.

Field reports indicate that motorcycles and a vehicle linked to the insurgents were destroyed, while several fighters were neutralised.

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Sources said some ISWAP insurgents initially fled on sighting the aircraft, but later regrouped to evacuate casualties.

Military authorities have consistently described Jilli as a key insurgent enclave where logistics coordination takes place.

The military has reiterated its commitment to sustaining pressure on insurgents through coordinated air and ground offensives.

There were reports of civilian casualties in the air strikes earlier, of which the NAF has initiated an investigation into the allegation, according to the Director, Public Relations and Information of NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Sunday.

(NAN)