Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have arrested a 15-year-old suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) logistics courier in Ngamdu, Borno State, linking him to recent attacks and the group’s supply network in the Jilli axis.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect, identified as Tijjani, was apprehended on Sunday while attempting to procure supplies for insurgents operating along the Ngamdu–Benisheik corridor.

During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to participating in recent attacks in Ngamdu and Benisheik. He stated that the group mobilised from Jilli, a known insurgent stronghold in Gubio Local Government Area, carried out the attacks, and later returned to the enclave.

The suspect further disclosed that he had been redeployed from Jilli with N850,000 to obtain logistics for other fighters before he was intercepted by troops. He added that other members of the group remained in the enclave but could not confirm their status following recent military airstrikes.

The arrest offers key insights into ISWAP’s operational and logistics structure, highlighting the strategic role of Jilli as a staging ground and supply hub.

The development comes less than 24 hours after the Air Component of OPHK carried out precision airstrikes on the Jilli axis, destroying a major logistics base and neutralising scores of insurgents. The strikes followed sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions targeting terrorist movements.

Field reports indicate that at least two motorcycles and one vehicle were destroyed during the operation, while several insurgents were killed. Some fighters reportedly took cover during the strike but later returned to evacuate casualties.

Military authorities have described Jilli as a key insurgent enclave used for coordination and logistics, including activities such as informal markets that support terrorist operations.

The arrest of the teenage suspect underscores the use of logistics couriers, including minors, in sustaining insurgent activities. Security experts note that disrupting these supply chains remains critical to weakening terrorist operations in the North-East.

The military has reaffirmed its commitment to sustained air and ground offensives aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and preventing further attacks. Investigations into the suspect and his possible accomplices are ongoing.