The news says: The Headquarters of Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, announced the arrest of several suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP logistics suppliers in Borno State as part of ongoing counter-terrorism operations under Operation Desert Sanity V. Among those arrested was a suspect on a security watchlist caught transporting fuel, and an absconded soldier who allegedly deserted with his weapon.
Who are the people arrested in these operations? Girema Aliko (40, suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP logistics supplier, on security watchlist, arrested at Benisheikh Market with 30 litres of fuel), Mohammed Bulama (25, suspected logistics supplier and informant, arrested at Ngawom in Muna Garage area, Maiduguri), Private Umar Bema (absconded soldier who deserted his unit with his personal weapon, arrested in Maiduguri, linked to robbery), a suspected kidnapper in Biu LGA (also linked to cattle rustling and criminal gangs), another suspected logistics supplier (arrested along Gubio axis with large quantities of food), two suspected ISWAP members (arrested in Adamawa with local hunters).
Where did these arrests happen? Benisheikh Market (Borno), Ngawom in Muna Garage area (Maiduguri), Biu Local Government Area (Borno), Gubio axis (Borno), and Adamawa State (working with local hunters). Also, a Boko Haram/ISWAP fighter surrendered with two children in the Kukawa axis.
What did they allegedly do? Girema Aliko confessed to supplying fuel and other logistics to terrorist elements. Mohammed Bulama had links to terrorist elements as a supplier and informant. Private Umar Bema deserted his unit with his weapon and engaged in robbery. The Biu suspect confessed to kidnapping, cattle rustling, and revealed links between criminal gangs and terrorist groups. The Gubio suspect was transporting large quantities of food meant for Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters. The two Adamawa suspects confessed to participating in attacks and abductions in Borno and Adamawa.
When did these operations happen? The arrests were announced on Thursday, June 4, 2026. The operations are part of ongoing Operation Desert Sanity V. The news was published on June 5, 2026.
Why is targeting logistics suppliers more effective than targeting fighters? Because fighters can be replaced. But logistics networks – fuel, food, weapons, information – are harder to rebuild. Cut off fuel, and vehicles stop. Cut off food, and fighters starve. Cut off informants, and terrorists become blind. These arrests disrupt the supply chain, not just the frontline.
How did the military achieve these arrests? Through intelligence-led and surveillance operations across Borno and Yobe states. The military also worked with local hunters in Adamawa. A surrendered terrorist with two children provided intelligence. The operations included offensive operations in the Damboa axis, where troops discovered deserted terrorist enclaves and recovered rocket-propelled grenade bombs and PKT ammunition.
4 secrets about these arrests you need to know.
- A soldier on the run – Private Umar Bema – was arrested for desertion with his weapon, linked to robbery. This is the most disturbing arrest. A soldier deserted his unit, took his rifle and magazines, and allegedly engaged in robbery. That means a trained military weapon was in criminal hands. The military recovered the rifle and magazines. But how long was he at large? How many robberies did he commit? How many other deserters are out there with military weapons? The military must account for every weapon issued. A deserter with a rifle is a terrorist by another name.
- The arrests reveal the secret network that keeps terrorists alive: fuel, food, and informants. Girema Aliko was caught with 30 litres of fuel. The Gubio suspect was caught with large quantities of food. Mohammed Bulama was an informant. These are not glamorous arrests. They are not gun battles. But they are more important. Without fuel, terrorists cannot move. Without food, they cannot survive. Without informants, they cannot evade. The military is slowly strangling the terror networks by cutting their supply lines.
- Terrorists are surrendering – one fighter surrendered with two children in Kukawa axis. This is a sign that sustained military pressure is working. A fleeing Boko Haram/ISWAP fighter surrendered with two children. That means the terrorist is not just running – he is bringing his family. That suggests desperation. The military’s “sustained operational momentum” is making life inside terrorist camps unbearable. More surrenders could follow if the military offers protection and deradicalisation.
- The military handed over 13 detainees to relevant authorities for prosecution – but prosecution is where many cases die. Arrest is not conviction. The military has done its job. Now the police, DSS, and judiciary must do theirs. In Nigeria, terrorism suspects often stay in detention for years without trial. Some are released without explanation. The public needs to see these 13 suspects, plus the newly arrested ones, brought to court quickly. Without prosecution, the arrests are just headlines.
How this affects Nigerians and the counter-terrorism effort.
i. It shows that counter-terrorism is not just about shooting – it is about intelligence and logistics. The military is learning. Operation Desert Sanity V focuses on supply networks, not just combat. Arresting a fuel supplier in a market is less dramatic than a gun battle, but it may save more lives. This is the kind of thinking Nigeria needs: strategic, patient, intelligence-driven.
ii. It exposes the vulnerability of military weapons to theft and desertion. Private Umar Bema took his rifle and magazines when he deserted. That weapon could have been sold to bandits or used in robberies. The military must investigate how he deserted without being stopped. Also, how many other deserters are out there? A public accounting would reassure Nigerians that weapons are not leaking into criminal hands.
iii. It demonstrates the value of local hunters and vigilantes in counter-terrorism. In Adamawa, troops worked alongside local hunters to arrest two ISWAP suspects. In Borno, forest guards were involved. Local forces know the terrain, the language, and the faces. The military is increasingly partnering with them. That model works. It should be expanded nationwide.
iv. It highlights the need for a functioning terrorism prosecution system. Thirteen detainees were handed over for prosecution. But Nigeria’s terrorism courts are slow. Witnesses are afraid. Judges are overworked. The government must resource the prosecution system adequately. Arrest without conviction is not justice. It is a holding pattern.
Advice from this analyst.
- To the Nigerian Military: you have done well with these arrests. Now follow up. Use the intelligence from the arrested suspects to plan further operations. Find out where the fuel was going. Identify the buyers. Map the food supply chain. Also, investigate how Private Umar Bema deserted with his weapon. Plug that hole.
- To the Ministry of Defence: account for every weapon. Conduct a surprise audit of all units. Identify missing weapons. Track deserters. A soldier who deserts with a rifle is a national security threat. Treat him as such. Also, create a hotline for citizens to report soldiers behaving suspiciously.
- To the Attorney-General’s Office and terrorism courts: fast-track the prosecution of the 13 detainees and the newly arrested suspects. Do not let them sit in detention for years. Public trials, even if held in camera, build confidence that the system works. Impunity ends when prosecution follows arrest.
- To the public: support the military with information. These arrests happened because of intelligence-led operations. That intelligence often comes from citizens. If you see suspicious activity – fuel being stockpiled, food being moved in large quantities to forests, strangers asking questions – report it. You are part of the security apparatus.
Rhetorical question for you.
If a soldier can desert his unit with his rifle and magazines, and allegedly commit robberies, before being caught – how many other deserters with military weapons are still out there, selling their services to bandits and terrorists?
The military does not know. And until they do a full audit, every rustle in the bushes could be a deserter with a stolen rifle. That is not acceptable. The military that protects the nation must first protect its own weapons from its own deserters.
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Akahi News reports that the military has arrested terrorist logistics suppliers in Borno. Fuel dealers, food transporters, informants, and even a deserter soldier. These are not the glamorous arrests of commanders. They are the unglamorous arrests of the people who keep the commanders alive. Cut off fuel, and the trucks stop. Cut off food, and the fighters starve. Cut off informants, and the terrorists go blind. That is how you win a war – not just by shooting, but by strangling. The military has taken a step in that direction. Now they must take the next step: prosecution, conviction, and imprisonment. Without those, the arrests are just headlines. With them, they are history.