Troops Arrest 22 Suspected Terrorist Logistics Suppliers in Mafa, Seize Smoked-Fish Shipment

Troops operating under Operation Hadin Kai have arrested 22 people alleged to be logistics suppliers for terrorist groups after intercepting a large shipment of smoked fish in Mafa, Borno State. The operation took place on Wednesday around 3:30 p.m. at Checkpoint 2, where soldiers of the 112 Task Force Battalion stopped two Isuzu trucks loaded with 59 cartons and 28 sacks of smoked fish.

According to security sources, the main suspect, a 40-year-old man, admitted during preliminary questioning that the consignment had been handed over by terrorists based in enclave villages, including the settlement of Laje. He also reportedly confessed to making multiple supply runs into territories controlled by insurgents. Repentant fighters assisting the military are said to have identified him as a known logistics channel frequently used by terrorists for supplies.

All 22 suspects were immediately taken into custody, and the seized items were transferred to a military facility for further investigation. The army believes the smoked-fish trade has become one of several informal economic channels exploited by insurgents to generate income and sustain their operations.

Security analysts note that the arrest adds to recent efforts aimed at undermining the supply and support networks that keep terrorist cells active across the northeast. While troop operations have disrupted several logistics routes in recent months, the military says suppliers often use ordinary goods such as foodstuffs, fuel, and trading commodities to conceal their activities, making counter-operations both delicate and complex.

The latest interception in Mafa is being viewed as a potentially significant disruption to one of the networks supporting insurgent camps, though investigators say more follow-up operations will be needed to determine the depth and reach of the ring involved.