Troops of Operation Hadin Kai apprehend 18 suspects allegedly supplying goods to Boko Haram fighters in Gubio-Gudumbali axis of Borno State.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have apprehended 18 suspected logistics suppliers allegedly en route to Gubio with plans to proceed to the Gudumbali axis, a known enclave of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.
The development was contained in a daily operational report made available to journalists on Wednesday.
According to the military, the suspects were intercepted while travelling toward the location to deliver goods to the insurgents.
Preliminary investigations, the report said, revealed that all 18 suspects confessed to supplying items to the terrorist group.
“They admitted that they routinely purchase and convey items to the terrorists. Their justification was lack of employment, which points to a deeper socio-economic challenge in Maiduguri and its environs,” the report stated.
The military said the arrests validate recent remarks by the Chief of Defence Staff on the link between economic hardship and the sustenance of insurgency logistics networks.
It added that the development highlights the role of civilian collaborators in sustaining terrorist operations, particularly in remote areas such as Gubio and Gudumbali.
The army called for a comprehensive approach combining military operations with economic empowerment and job creation to address the root causes of insurgency in the region.
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