Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Maiduguri, Nigeria — Troops deployed under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have identified and arrested a key coordinator of a violent suicide bombing network in the North-East, the Nigerian Army has confirmed. The arrest, in the Kalmari area of Maiduguri on 31 December 2025, follows an intelligence-led cordon-and-search operation targeting individuals linked with improvised explosive device (IED) and suicide attack cells that have been responsible for recent deadly assaults on civilians and soft targets across Borno State.
According to the military statement issued on Friday, security forces acting on credible intelligence carried out a precise operation in the densely populated Kalmari district of Maiduguri, where they apprehended Shariff Umar, also known by the alias Yusuf, who has been identified as a principal coordinator of suicide bombing operations within the region.
Umar’s arrest is being hailed as a major tactical gain in Nigeria’s ongoing counter-terrorism campaign, aimed at degrading the operational networks of Boko Haram and associated extremist groups that have long terrorised communities in the North-East. Security analysts suggest that the suspect’s role in orchestrating bombings and attempted attacks may have included facilitating recruitment, planning routes, supplying explosive materials, and directing operatives to targets.
The offensive actions that led to Umar’s arrest were part of a broader series of intelligence-driven operations carried out by Army troops positioned under the Joint Task Force North-East. This deployment has focused intensively on tracking down suicide bomb networks, which have claimed scores of civilian lives in recent months, including coordinated attacks on marketplaces and religious centres in Maiduguri and its environs.
Earlier counter-terrorism successes attributed to Operation Hadin Kai in the region have involved the neutralisation of suspected suicide bombers before they could carry out attacks. For example, troops intercepted and killed three suicide bombers and their escorts along the Guduf–Pulka axis in Gwoza Local Government Area in early January, a mission executed through covert intelligence and collaboration with local volunteer forces that also recovered explosive vests and other IED components from the field.
Military officials have emphasised that these successes underscore the improved collection and exploitation of human and signal intelligence, enabling forces to disrupt plots at early stages and intercept suspected operatives before explosive devices can be delivered into crowded civilian spaces.
The arrest of Umar in Maiduguri coincides with heightened security efforts following a tragic bombing on 24 December 2025 at Gamboru Market Mosque, where a suicide bomber detonated an IED during prayers, killing and injuring multiple worshippers. Subsequent operations traced links between that and other planned attacks, revealing a wider network of operatives and support cells embedded across Borno and neighbouring states. Reporting on earlier undercover work noted that suspects had been credited with involvement in both reconnaissance and execution phases of such plots, illustrating the layered organisational structure of insurgent cells in the theatre.
Troops involved in the arrest of Umar conducted the operation with a focus on minimising disruption to non-combatants in the urban sector of Maiduguri, a city that has endured years of militant violence and now hosts an intricate mosaic of military checkpoints, community-led vigilante patrols, and federal intelligence outposts.
In response to the arrest, senior military officers praised the dedication and professionalism of the troops and intelligence agencies involved. They stressed that the apprehension of a facilitator and coordinator represents a crucial step toward dismantling the logistical frameworks that enable suicide bombing tactics – one of the deadliest forms of attack employed by Boko Haram and its splinter factions.
The Army has yet to release specific details regarding Umar’s alleged operational role or any confessions he may have made during initial interrogations. However, military sources indicate that authorities are continuing to interrogate the suspect as part of a comprehensive effort to map the network’s reach and to identify additional collaborators or safe houses used by bombing cells.
Experts on counter-insurgency note that breaking up command nodes like the one believed to have been overseen by Umar can yield significant dividends in reducing the frequency and scale of terror attacks. By disrupting chains of command and communication, security forces can create friction and uncertainty within extremist networks, forcing them into less organised and more reactive modes of operation.
Operation Hadin Kai, originally launched in 2015 and now extended through continual phases to adapt to the evolving threat, has become the central pillar of Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin. The operation involves not only the Nigerian Army but also integrated efforts with the Air Force, Marine units, and a range of intelligence and law enforcement partners, aimed at dismantling extremist infrastructure and reasserting state control over contested territories.
The broader community response to the arrest has been one of cautious relief. Residents of Maiduguri and surrounding communities, long accustomed to cycles of violence and displacement, have welcomed evidence that security forces are actively disrupting terror plots. Local leaders have urged continued vigilance and support for military operations, while also calling for sustained efforts to address the humanitarian dimensions of the insurgency, including support for survivors of attacks and displaced families.
As Umar’s detention continues and military intelligence exploitation proceeds, authorities reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing all leads and applying sustained pressure on extremist groups until their capacity to conduct attacks is significantly diminished. They also reiterated calls for ongoing cooperation from local communities, whose assistance in providing timely and credible information has been instrumental in recent counter-terrorism successes.
With Nigeria entering a new year, the security forces have underscored that their operations will persist with precision, coordinated action, and a priority on protecting civilian lives. The arrest of the suspected suicide bombing coordinator marks a noteworthy moment in that ongoing campaign, potentially signalling further breakthroughs in the collective effort to restore peace and stability across the North-East zone.
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