There is growing tension in parts of Borno State following the arrest of a 15-year-old suspect by troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, over his alleged involvement in a recent deadly attack.
The suspect, identified simply as Tijjani, was apprehended on Sunday in Ngamdu while reportedly on his way to purchase food supplies for members of his group.
Military sources linked the teenager to the ആക്രമation that resulted in the killing of Brigadier General Oseni Braimah and three other soldiers. Braimah, who commanded the 29 Task Force Brigade under Operation Hadin Kai, was killed on Thursday when suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked a military base in the area.
In a video circulating online, the suspect said he was arrested in Ngamdu and admitted, in Hausa, to participating in attacks in Benisheik and Ngamdu.
He claimed that his group operated from Jilli, stating that they returned there after carrying out attacks. According to him, he had been sent from Jilli with ₦850,000 to procure logistics before his arrest.
“Yesterday (Saturday), I left other fighters at Jilli. I don’t know what happened to them,” he reportedly said.
Security authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the arrest or the suspect’s claims.
The development has heightened concerns in the region, as residents grapple with ongoing insecurity and renewed fears of insurgent activities in parts of Nigeria’s North-East.
