Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a suspected spy connected to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Kanama town in Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State, bordering Niger Republic.

According to counter-insurgen expert, Zagazola Makama, intelligence security the suspect, identified as Malam Fantami, was apprehended during a security operation carried out by troops of the 159 Battalion in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

According to the statement, items recovered from the suspect include a mobile phone, a smartwatch, prayer beads, a motorcycle key, and N7,000 in cash.

Security personnel who conducted a preliminary examination of the suspect’s phone were said to have discovered materials considered suspicious, including photographs of motorcycles, large sums of cash, and AK-47 rifles.

“The discovery of these materials has raised serious suspicion about the suspect’s role as a possible logistics informant or intelligence asset for insurgent elements operating in the region,” a source said.

He added that the suspect was currently in military custody and undergoing further interrogation to determine the extent of his alleged involvement with terrorist networks and to identify possible collaborators.

The arrest is part of ongoing counter-terrorism operations by troops in the North-East aimed at dismantling the intelligence and logistics networks supporting insurgent groups.

It was learnt that Fantami, a native of Dikwa, was intercepted following intelligence suggesting he might have been working as an informant for terrorists affiliated with ISWAP.