Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested 18 individuals suspected of supplying logistics to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.
The suspects were intercepted en route to Gubio, with plans to continue to the Gudumbali axis, a known stronghold of the insurgent group. The development was detailed in a daily operational report released to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday.
According to the report, the individuals were caught transporting goods believed to be intended for the terrorist group. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects admitted to regularly providing supplies, citing unemployment as their main motivation — highlighting underlying socio-economic challenges in Maiduguri and surrounding areas.
The report noted, “They admitted that they routinely purchase and convey items to the terrorists. Their justification was lack of employment, which points to a deeper socio-economic challenge in Maiduguri and its environs.”
The military emphasized that this arrest aligns with recent comments by the Chief of Defence Staff on the link between economic hardship and the persistence of insurgency logistics networks.
“The arrest highlights the critical role of civilian collaborators in sustaining terrorist operations, particularly in remote areas such as Gubio and Gudumbali,” the report added.
The army stressed the importance of a multi-faceted approach to counterinsurgency, advocating for strategies that combine military action with economic empowerment and job creation to tackle the root causes of extremism in the region.
