Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have arrested a Sudanese national suspected of being a foreign terrorist fighter and collaborator, alongside a Ghanaian woman, alleged to be an irregular migrant.

Acting Media Information Officer, OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

He said the duo were apprehended at about 11:48am on Sunday during an operation by troops of the 115 Task Force Battalion in Lassa, Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

Goni said the Sudanese suspect, identified as Musa Fashir, 32, was apprehended during an intelligence-driven operation targeted at disrupting terrorist activities in the North East.

He said preliminary intelligence indicated that the suspect had links with terrorist elements, suggesting continued attempts by foreign actors to support insurgency in the region.

Goni said the Ghanaian woman, identified as Mary Florence, 36, claimed to be an irregular migrant, adding that the circumstances of her presence in the area and the authenticity of her claims were being investigated.

He said both suspects were in military custody undergoing profiling and interrogation to establish their identities, determine the extent of their activities and ascertain possible links to terrorist groups or transnational criminal networks.

The arrests, Goni said, showed the effectiveness of the military’s intelligence-driven operations and the vigilance of troops in denying terrorists and their collaborators freedom of movement.

“The operation also highlights the Theatre’s unwavering commitment to disrupting terrorist support networks, preventing the infiltration of foreign fighters, and safeguarding communities across the North-East,” he said.

In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command arrested a suspect, Umaru Danda, for allegedly supplying logistics and illicit drugs to kidnappers, Commissioner (CP) Ahmed Sanusi, said at a news conference, yesterday.

The CP said kidnappers relied not only on weapons and ransom but also on a steady supply of illicit drugs and logistics to sustain their activities.

Sanusi said in a follow-up investigation into a kidnapping incident of July 8 in the Mpape area of Abuja, operatives on July 10 trailed and arrested a suspect identified as a major supplier of hard drugs, logistics and other illicit substances to the gang that attacked the Yellow House area of Mpape.

He said the suspect’s arrest led operatives to three hideouts used by the gang in Niger State, where exhibits were recovered, including 225mg of tramadol, two wraps of a white substance suspected to be cocaine, a 500mg pack of suspected cannabis pills and dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa.

Other items recovered, according to Sanusi, were 30 cards of 100mg tramadol, two bottles containing 500 tablets each of Embazol, two black bags of suspected cannabis sativa, a digital scale, two AirPods, two ATM cards, two bags, N250,000 cash and one AK-47 rifle.

In a separate case, Sanusi said operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit rescued a kidnap victim in the Karshi area of the FCT.

Sanusi said he directed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to commence rescue operations immediately, and the team moved into the adjoining Waru hills, which link the FCT to Nasarawa State through unconventional routes, while combing the Karshi axis.

He said the operation paid off on July 16 at about 12:45am when the hostage was rescued unharmed without payment of ransom.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment and has since been reunited with her family.

Items recovered during the rescue operation included a painted Makarov pistol, a dagger, military camouflage clothing and assorted charms, Sanusi said.

The CP said operatives also arrested four suspects who specialise in robbing commercial drivers, particularly those on the Bolt and Uber platforms.

He said the suspects were arrested on July 7 by the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) following credible intelligence, adding that preliminary investigations showed the suspects posed as passengers, booking rides through e-hailing platforms before attacking and dispossessing drivers of their vehicles and other valuables.

Sanusi said the suspects were arrested with two vehicles, an ash-coloured Toyota RAV4 with registration number YAB240DL and a grey Honda Civic with registration number ABC72JP.

In Lagos, the state police command arrested 147 suspects following a coordinated raid on criminal hideouts in Ile Epo and other flashpoints across the state.

The raid, conducted at about 5:30am on Sunday, was part of the ongoing Operation KO S’AYE III, aimed at clearing criminal hideouts and denying hoodlums safe haven in the state.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said at a briefing at the Lagos Taskforce office in Bolade, Oshodi, that operatives from various formations acted on intelligence to storm the black spots.

Items recovered from the raid, according to Adebisi, included 250 expended cartridges, two knives, a lighter, five battle axes, a pair of scissors, assorted charms, 22 machetes and substances suspected to be marijuana.

She said the suspects were in custody as investigations continued to determine their roles in criminal activities, adding that those found culpable would be prosecuted.

Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai commended the operatives for their professionalism and said the command was committed to sustaining the operation across the state.

He urged residents to continue providing credible and timely information to help police identify criminal hideouts, apprehend offenders and improve public safety. (The Nation)

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