Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, have arrested suspected terrorist collaborators and recovered drones and other logistics during coordinated operations across Adamawa and Borno states.

In a statement issued in Maiduguri, the Media Information Officer of the Theatre Command, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said troops of Sector 4 under the 28 Task Force Brigade, working with local vigilantes and hunters, on Thursday apprehended a 28-year-old suspect, Ismail Muhammed.

The troops described the suspect as a logistics supplier to insurgents.

The arrest took place in the Visik General area of the Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

“Items recovered from the suspect included one AK-47 magazine, rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, military accoutrements, and assorted foodstuffs. The suspect is currently in custody, undergoing further investigation,” the statement said.

Uba said that in a separate operation in Madagali Local Government Area, troops ambushed the Visik River line, where a terrorist commander identified as Abdullahi Mafa was neutralised.

An AK-47 rifle and a loaded magazine were recovered during the operation.

He disclosed that troops acting on intelligence arrested a 64-year-old suspect, Dauda Gubula, alleged to be a terrorist collaborator and drone supplier, at Madagali Motor Park.

According to the statement, items recovered from him included two aerial drones, accessories, and 20 solar power banks.

The military said the drones were being supplied to insurgents for weaponisation and operational use.

Meanwhile, in Sector 2, troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with local vigilantes and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), repelled insurgent activity in Ngamdu, Borno State, neutralising a suspected informant attempting to breach defensive positions. Logistics items were also recovered.

Military authorities said the operations form part of ongoing efforts to dismantle insurgent supply networks, disrupt logistics chains, and enhance security across the North-East.

The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) says law enforcement agencies across 16 African nations have arrested 651 suspects and recovered over $4.3 million during a crackdown on online fraud.

The organisation said the sting, codenamed Operation Red Card 2.0, ran from December 8, 2025, to January 30, 2026, targeting high-yield investment scams, mobile money fraud and fraudulent loan applications.

According to Interpol, investigations during the eight-week exercise uncovered scams linked to more than $45 million in financial losses and identified 1,247 victims — mostly from Africa.

It said operatives seized 2,341 devices and 1,442 malicious IP addresses, with domains and servers linked to the syndicates dismantled.

The organisation noted that it supported participating countries with intelligence sharing, real-time information exchange and training on digital forensic tools.

Neal Jetton, director of Interpol’s cybercrime directorate, said organised cybercriminal networks continue to cause significant financial and psychological harm.

“Operation Red Card highlights the importance of collaboration when combatting transnational cybercrime. I encourage all victims of cybercrime to reach out to law enforcement for help,” he said.

In Nigeria, Interpol said police dismantled a high-yield investment fraud syndicate that recruited young individuals to execute phishing, identity theft, social engineering and fake digital asset investment schemes.

According to the organisation, investigators took down more than 1,000 fraudulent social media accounts linked to the network and uncovered a residential building constructed by the alleged ringleader as an operational hub for the crimes.

It said Nigerian authorities arrested six members of a cybercrime syndicate, accused of infiltrating the internal platform of a major telecommunications provider using compromised staff login credentials, in a separate operation.

Interpol said the suspects allegedly siphoned large volumes of airtime and data for illegal resale before the scheme was disrupted.

In Kenya, authorities arrested 27 suspects linked to fraud schemes that used messaging apps, social media platforms and fabricated testimonials to lure victims into fake investments in reputable global corporations.

According to Interpol, victims were persuaded to invest as little as $50 with promises of high returns and were shown falsified dashboards and account statements. However, withdrawal requests were allegedly blocked.

In Côte d’Ivoire, law enforcement agencies arrested 58 suspects and seized 240 mobile phones, 25 laptops and more than 300 SIM cards in a targeted operation against mobile loan fraud.

Authorities said the scams targeted vulnerable individuals through deceptive mobile applications, promising quick, unsecured loans before imposing hidden fees, abusive debt-collection practices and harvesting sensitive personal data.

Interpol said the operation was conducted under the African Joint Operation against Cybercrime (AFJOC), funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

It added that the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) project — a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe — provided operational support.

It added that the participating countries include Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Department of State Services (DSS) will on Wednesday, February 25, arraign Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, over alleged cybercrime and breach of national security.

He would be arraigned before Joyce Abdulmalik, judge of a federal high court in Abuja.

Details later…