Troops of Nigerian Army under Operation HADIN KAI have arrested a man suspected of having links to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during a security operation in Borno State after he was found with a Starlink satellite internet device and other communication equipment.
Gatekeepers News reports that the suspect was apprehended at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday along the Maiduguri–Monguno highway in Munguno Local Government Area, where soldiers from the 212 Battalion were conducting routine surveillance and vehicle checks. According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, the troops became suspicious after observing the man’s behaviour and searched his belongings.
The search led to the recovery of a Starlink satellite internet terminal, a Wi-Fi router fitted with six access points, a mobile phone and ₦1,000. During questioning, the suspect reportedly claimed he operates an internet service business in his community and that the equipment was intended for commercial use. However, security officials said the circumstances surrounding his movement and the communication devices warranted further investigation.
The suspect has been taken into custody and handed over, along with the recovered equipment, to the Military Intelligence Brigade (7 MIB) for detailed profiling and intelligence analysis.
Investigators are expected to determine whether he has any affiliation with ISWAP or Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), establish the intended use of the Starlink terminal, identify any associates and ascertain whether the equipment was meant to facilitate terrorist communications or logistics.
