Maiduguri: Troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Ngamdu, Borno, arrested a 15-year-old boy carrying N850,000 in cash to buy supplies for ISWAP fighters, exposing the insurgents’ logistics network and confirming Jilli as a key staging ground for recent deadly attacks on Benisheik and Ngamdu.
A security source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the suspect was apprehended on Sunday while attempting to procure supplies for insurgents along the Ngamdu–Benisheik corridor.
The source said the suspect admitted in initial questioning to involvement in the Benisheik and Ngamdu attacks.
The suspect said fighters mobilised from Jilli in Gubio LGA before the attacks.
“Before the attack, we came from Jilli and returned there afterwards,” the suspect was quoted as saying.
A military source said the suspect revealed he was redeployed from Jilli on Saturday with N850,000 to procure logistics for other fighters.
“I was sent from Jilli with N850,000 to collect supplies from Ngamdu, but I was arrested by troops.
I left other fighters at the Jilli enclave, but cannot confirm developments there since recent airstrikes, the suspect said.
The military source said the arrest shed further light on ISWAP’s operational and logistics network and highlighted 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.
These strikes followed sustained ISR missions tracking insurgent logistics.
Field reports say motorcycles, a vehicle used by insurgents, were destroyed, and several fighters neutralised.
Sources said insurgents initially fled upon seeing the aircraft but regrouped to evacuate casualties.
Military authorities have described Jilli as a key insurgent enclave for logistics coordination.
The military reiterated its commitment to sustained pressure on insurgents through coordinated air and ground offensives.
There were earlier reports of civilian casualties in the air strikes; the NAF has launched an investigation, according to the Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.
