Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested a 32-year-old Sudanese national, Musa Fashir, and a 36-year-old Ghanaian woman, Mary Florence, during a security operation in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The Nigerian Army said Fashir is suspected to be a foreign terrorist fighter and collaborator, while Florence is believed to be an illegal immigrant.
The Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.
According to him, troops of the 115 Task Force Battalion arrested the suspects at about 11:48 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, in Lassa, Dille General Area of Askira/Uba LGA.
He said the operation was part of ongoing intelligence-led counter-terrorism efforts aimed at disrupting insurgent activities in the North-East.
“During the operation, troops arrested one Musa Fashir, a 32-year-old Sudanese national suspected to be a foreign terrorist fighter and collaborator. Preliminary intelligence indicates that the suspect has established links with terrorist elements, further highlighting attempts by foreign actors to support insurgent activities in the region,” Goni said.
The Army spokesman added that troops also arrested Florence, who claimed to be an illegal immigrant from Ghana.
“Troops also apprehended Mary Florence, 36, who claimed to be an illegal immigrant from the Republic of Ghana. The circumstances surrounding her presence in the area, as well as the authenticity of her claims, are currently under investigation,” he added.
Goni said both suspects are currently in military custody undergoing profiling and interrogation to establish their identities, determine the extent of their activities and ascertain any links to terrorist or transnational criminal networks.
He noted that the arrests underscore the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations by Operation Hadin Kai in disrupting terrorist support networks and preventing the infiltration of foreign fighters into the North-East.
The military urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to restore peace and security in the region.
