Troops of the 159 Battalion, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, have arrested a suspected spy believed to be linked to terrorists operating in Nigeria’s North-East in Kanamma, Yobe State.
The suspect, identified as Malam Fantami, a native of Dikwa, was apprehended during a security operation carried out by troops deployed in the area.
Security sources said the suspect was intercepted following credible intelligence suggesting he might be acting as an informant for terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Items recovered from him at the time of arrest included a mobile phone, a smartwatch, prayer beads, a motorcycle key, and N7,000 in cash.
Preliminary examination of the suspect’s mobile phone by security personnel reportedly uncovered several suspicious materials, including photograp
hs of motorcycles, large sums of cash, AK-47 rifles, and other items believed to be connected to terrorist activities.
The discovery has heightened suspicion that the suspect may have been serving as a logistics informant or intelligence asset for insurgent groups operating in the region.
He is currently in military custody undergoing further interrogation to determine the extent of his involvement with terrorist networks and to identify possible collaborators.
Military authorities said the arrest forms part of ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North-East aimed at dismantling the intelligence and logistics networks that support insurgent activities.
Kanamma, located in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State near the border with the Niger Republic, has long been considered a strategic corridor often exploited by insurgent groups for movement and supply operations.
