By ifeoma Onyekachi

Troops under Operation HADIN KAI have disrupted a suspected terrorist supply chain and arrested 16 individuals during coordinated operations across Nigeria’s North-East, the military said on Monday.

According to an operational update released by the Nigerian Army, soldiers of the 3 Battalion (Mechanised), acting on credible intelligence, intercepted 19 jerrycans of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) along with two carts in Gamboru/Ngala, a border community near Cameroon frequently exploited for illicit cross-border movement.

Troops reportedly raided identified smuggling corridors in the area, forcing suspected collaborators to abandon the fuel consignment and flee. Security analysts have consistently linked fuel smuggling in the Lake Chad region to insurgent logistics, as armed groups rely on such supplies to power vehicles, generators, and operational bases.

In a separate operation along the Biu–Buratai–Kamuya axis in Biu Local Government Area, troops intercepted 16 suspects. While the individuals claimed affiliation with local hybrid forces supporting security operations, a search uncovered ammunition, rifle magazines, improvised explosive device (IED) components, military uniforms, and multiple mobile phones—raising suspicions about their true identities and roles.

The army said preliminary investigations are ongoing to determine possible links between the suspects and insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter faction, Islamic State West Africa Province, both of which remain active in the North-East despite years of military pressure.

Elsewhere, troops responding to insurgent movement in Chibok Local Government Area engaged fighters in a brief exchange of gunfire, forcing them to withdraw. The military also confirmed the recovery of a motorcycle earlier stolen during a terrorist raid in neighbouring Yobe State.

The latest actions form part of the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity V, a renewed offensive aimed at degrading insurgent capabilities through aggressive patrols, clearance missions, and targeted raids across key sectors in Borno and adjoining states.

Military authorities say the strategy focuses on cutting off supply lines, dismantling logistics networks, and maintaining sustained pressure on insurgents to limit their mobility and operational reach. Despite reported gains, the region continues to face sporadic attacks, underscoring the protracted nature of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign in the Lake Chad basin.