Abuja — The Nigerian Navy has arrested a suspected terrorist logistics collaborator in the Lake Chad region following a drone-led surveillance operation under Operation Hadin Kai.
The Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed that the arrest was made on June 1 during an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission conducted by personnel of the Naval Base Lake Chad.
According to him, the suspect, identified as Baba Saidu Abdullahi, was tracked in real time from the Dumba axis to an area near the Charlie Company of the 196 Amphibious Battalion before being apprehended.
Folorunsho said the operation relied on tactical drone technology, which enabled sustained aerial monitoring and precise coordination by troops on the ground.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspect was involved in supplying logistics to terrorist groups operating in the region. He was reportedly responsible for transporting goods between Dumba and Baga Town to support insurgents’ activities.
Items recovered from the suspect are currently in custody, while he has been handed over to relevant authorities for further interrogation.
“The Nigerian Navy remains committed to supporting joint operations under Operation Hadin Kai and will continue to deploy available assets to deny terrorist elements freedom of action,” Folorunsho said.
Operation Hadin Kai is the military’s ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the North-East targeting Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The Lake Chad Basin has remained a critical theatre due to its difficult terrain and porous borders linking Nigeria with neighbouring countries.
Security analysts say the latest arrest highlights the growing role of intelligence-led operations and advanced surveillance technology in disrupting terrorist networks and supply chains in the region.
The Nigerian military has in recent months intensified coordinated operations aimed at restoring stability in the North-East, with a focus on dismantling logistics networks sustaining insurgent groups.
