Jun 7, 2026

Troops Arrest Five Suspected Informants, Seize Phones and Cash in Niger State

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Niger State — Troops serving with Joint Task Force Operation Savannah Shield arrested five suspected bandit and terror informants during separate patrols in Niger State last week, military officials said on Monday.

Three men were detained on June 6 during a routine combat patrol along the Doro axis in Wawa, Borgu Local Government Area.

Authorities say the trio are linked to a bandit cell operating around Duru on the outskirts of Kainji Lake National Park.

Soldiers recovered two Tecno keypad phones and an MP3 player containing recorded propaganda and incendiary messages that allegedly boasted of an earlier abduction in Kaduna State and a claimed ransom of ₦60 million.

The patrol also found ₦113,400 in cash. The suspects remain in military custody as investigations continue.

In a separate incident, soldiers from 221 Battalion stopped two men near the cantonment perimeter while on routine patrol.

Military spokespeople say the pair were acting as reconnaissance operatives tasked with gathering information about the base.

Examination of one suspect’s phone reportedly produced a photograph—dated May 2—of a beheaded individual, a find that investigators say strengthens suspicions of links to violent extremist activity.

Troops also seized an Android phone, a Tecno keypad phone, a motorcycle, and ₦86,100 in cash. Those suspects are also being held for further questioning.

Captain Jamilu Muhammed Yahaya, Acting Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force (North Central) Operation Savannah Shield, said the arrests demonstrate the task force’s sustained effort to disrupt criminal support networks and deny violent actors freedom of movement across the region.

“The troops remain resolute in their mandate to sustain pressure on all threats to peace and security within the Joint Operations Area,” Captain Yahaya said in a statement posted on the Nigerian Army’s official X account on June 7.

Local residents and security watchers welcomed the arrests but urged continued vigilance and faster follow-through with civilian authorities to ensure suspects are brought to justice in line with due process.

Human rights groups and legal observers will likely monitor the investigations closely because of the seriousness of the allegations.

The Joint Task Force said operations are ongoing as troops work to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected network.