Nigerian troops have intercepted two pick-up vans suspected of ferrying logistics supplies to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno State, military officials said on Friday.
The operation was carried out by troops of Sector 2, Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
The interception followed credible human intelligence indicating that supplies were being moved from Dapchi in Yobe State to the Magumeri area of Borno State.
Confirming the development, the task force’s Media Information Officer, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said troops tracked and stopped the vehicles along the identified route.
Items recovered from the vans included a large cache of mechanical parts, food items and personal supplies believed to be intended for the insurgent group.
The mechanical items comprised 31 spare tyres, 23 spare rims, 12 ignition starters and three alternators.
Food and staples seized included two bags of flour, 34 tubers of yam and two bags of garri.
Other items recovered were two bicycles, a power bank, six mobile phones, five bags of charcoal, a mattress, blankets, and assorted adult and children’s clothing.
An undisclosed sum of money in various denominations was also found.
The drivers of the vehicles have been taken into military custody and are being interrogated to establish their level of involvement in the terrorist logistics network.
Uba said the interception highlights the success of intelligence-led operations and the continued cooperation between troops and local security groups.
He reaffirmed the military’s determination to cut off insurgent logistics and restrict their movement across the North-East.
Military sources describe the latest seizure as a tactical gain in ongoing efforts to weaken ISWAP’s operational capacity, particularly its reliance on covert supply routes within the Lake Chad Basin.
