Troops of the Joint Task Force North East under Operation HADIN KAI have arrested two suspected Boko Haram members during a clearance operation along the Mandaragirau–Kurtum axis in Borno State.

The operation was carried out at about 10:00 a.m. on July 22 by personnel of the 162 Amphibious Battalion working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), local hunters and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN).

The joint team, deployed with a gun truck and 10 motorcycles, swept through the Mandaragirau–Kurtum route and extended the operation to the Nguma area as part of ongoing efforts to flush out insurgents from suspected hideouts and restrict their movement within the area.

During the exercise, security operatives arrested two suspects identified as Sidi Shagari, 42, and Abubakar Sadiq, also known as “Buba,” 25. Both are said to be natives of Birni in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.

Items recovered from the suspects included two mobile phones, three cutlasses, one dagger and ₦9,500 in cash.

The suspects have been taken to the Abogo Largema Cantonment, where they are undergoing further investigation while the recovered items have been secured as exhibits.

The military said the operation is part of Operation Desert Sanity V, an ongoing theatre-wide offensive designed to disrupt terrorist activities, dismantle insurgent networks and strengthen security across the North-East.

According to military sources, although the security situation across the theatre is relatively calm, it remains fluid, prompting troops to sustain a high level of alertness while continuing offensive operations against terrorist groups.