Soldiers from operation HADIN KAI have nabbed two men suspected of links to Boko Haram during a sweep across Borno State. The Nigerian Army announced the arrests on X on July 22, saying troops from the 162 Amphibious Battalion carried out the operation around 10:00 a.m. along the Mandaragirau–Kurtum corridor.
The security team worked alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, local hunters, and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria. They deployed a gun truck and ten motorcycles to search the Mandaragirau–Kurtum route and pushed into the Nguma area as part of efforts to eliminate terrorist hideouts.
Soldiers arrested Sidi Shagari, 42, and Abubakar Sadiq, known as "Buba," 25, during the sweep. Both men are from Birni in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.
Troops recovered two mobile phones, three cutlasses, one dagger, and N9,500 cash from the suspects. The men and seized items were transported to Abogo Largema Cantonment for interrogation and further processing.
The raid forms part of operation Desert Sanity V, a broad military offensive targeting terrorist cells across the North-East region. The army said the operation aims to dismantle insurgent networks and restore security to the theatre.
In its statement, the Nigerian Army noted that while calm prevails across the region, the situation remains volatile. Troops maintain heightened alertness, the army added, and morale among soldiers remains strong.
