Nigerian military forces have apprehended three individuals suspected of acting as recruitment agents for the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Banki, a town in Borno State near the border with Cameroon.
The arrests were made on Saturday by troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), the counter-terrorism joint task force in the North-East, according to a report by Zagazola Makama, a security-focused publication covering the Lake Chad region.
Security sources informed the publication that the operation was initiated following credible intelligence provided by the district head of Banki. Acting on the tip-off, intelligence operatives conducted a covert mission, leading to the capture of the suspects as they were allegedly attempting to enlist and transport young men for terrorist training.
The suspects have been identified as:
· Gajibo Kayama, 23
· Tahiru Modu, 22
· Bulama Modu, 24
Preliminary investigations suggest the trio are former members of the terrorist group who had claimed to have repented and undergone a rehabilitation process approximately five years ago. They are now accused of reverting to illicit activities by targeting youths between the ages of 17 and 20 in Banki for recruitment into ISWAP factions operating in neighbouring Adamawa State.
The suspects are currently in military custody and have been handed over to a military intelligence unit for detailed interrogation and subsequent legal proceedings.
This arrest highlights ongoing challenges in the region’s counter-insurgency efforts, particularly concerns about the potential re-radicalisation of previously rehabilitated individuals and ISWAP’s persistent efforts to replenish its ranks through local recruitment.
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