By: Sunday Ameh
Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected spy linked to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Kanama area of Yobe State.
The suspect, identified as Malam Fantami, was apprehended during a security operation carried out by soldiers of the 159 Battalion in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
Security sources said the suspect, a native of Dikwa in Borno State, was intercepted following intelligence reports suggesting he was allegedly working as an informant for terrorists affiliated with ISWAP.
Items reportedly recovered from him at the time of arrest include a mobile phone, a smartwatch, prayer beads, a motorcycle key and N7,000 in cash.
Preliminary checks carried out on the suspect’s phone by security personnel allegedly revealed suspicious materials, including photographs of motorcycles, large sums of money and AK-47 rifles.
According to security sources, the discovery raised concerns that the suspect could be acting as a logistics informant or intelligence asset for insurgent groups operating in the region.
The suspect is currently in military custody and undergoing further interrogation to determine the extent of his alleged involvement with terrorist networks and to identify possible collaborators.
The arrest forms part of ongoing counter-terrorism operations by the Nigerian military in the north-east aimed at dismantling the intelligence and supply networks supporting insurgent groups.
Kanama, located in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State near the border with the Niger Republic, has often been identified as a corridor used by insurgents for movement and logistics within the region.
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