… Forensic Analysis Of Seized Devices Exposes Insurgents’ Operational Network
….Military Warns Nigerians Against Attempting To Arrest Suspects Themselves
…Identifies Lake Chad Hideouts After Successful Offensive
Daud Olatunji
The Nigerian military has declared 38 suspected terrorists wanted, placing a combined ₦60 million bounty on two senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province operating in the Lake Chad Basin.
The military announced on Wednesday that it would pay ₦50 million for credible information leading to the arrest of Ibn Muhammad, identified as the ISWAP Commander of the Amniyya Unit, and ₦10 million for information leading to the arrest of Muhammad Jidda, Commander of the group’s Jaish Unit.
The announcement was contained in a wanted notice issued by the Acting Military Information Officer of the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Lt. Col. Mohammed Goni, in Maiduguri.
According to the military, the latest development followed successful offensive operations by troops of Operation HADIN KAI against ISWAP fighters in the Lake Chad region of northern Borno State.
It said troops recovered several technical devices and high-value intelligence materials during the operations, including a camcorder allegedly used by the insurgents to produce propaganda videos and document their activities.
The military explained that forensic analysis of the recovered devices yielded actionable intelligence, exposing the identities of several senior ISWAP leaders and revealing locations linked to terrorist operations within the Mangari-Metele-Dogon Chukun axis along the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin in Abadam and Kukawa Local Government Areas of Borno State.
Among those identified were Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, described as the Wali (Governor) of ISWAP, his deputy and Amirul Jaish, Muhammad Jidda, also known as “The One-Handed Man,” and Hamad Abu Hanifa, identified as the group’s Amirul-Fiya.
The military described Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa as the most wanted ISWAP leader currently operating in the Lake Chad Basin and appealed to members of the public to assist security agencies with credible information that could lead to his arrest and those of other wanted terrorists.
It assured that all information supplied by informants would be treated with strict confidentiality, while the identities of those providing intelligence would be protected in line with established security procedures.
The military urged residents, particularly those in the North-East, to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations by promptly reporting suspicious movements and activities through designated security channels.
It, however, warned Nigerians against attempting to confront or arrest any of the wanted suspects, stressing that such information should instead be reported to security agencies through the emergency line 0708 498 8859.
The military said the latest breakthrough underscored its commitment to dismantling terrorist networks and sustaining pressure on insurgent groups operating in the Lake Chad region.
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