By Chinenye Onwusonye
Troops of the Nigerian Army’s 1 Brigade have arrested two suspected terrorists and recovered an AK-47 rifle, ammunition and other military-related items during a night fighting patrol in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The development was contained in a statement signed by Captain Yusuf Mohammed, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Brigade Nigerian Army, Gusau, and dated August 25, 2026.
According to the statement, the troops, operating from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kaura Namoda, encountered and apprehended the suspects at about 1:50 a.m. on August 25 during a patrol aimed at disrupting the activities of terrorists and other criminal elements in the area.
The suspects were identified as Jabiru Hassan, 25, and Umaru Bello, 23, both reportedly from Ilela Village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Items recovered from them included one AK-47 rifle, one locally fabricated Dane gun, two rifle magazines and 55 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
Troops also recovered 18 Dane-gun cartridges, one motorcycle, two Baofeng radio sets, a mobile phone, two MP3 players, one camouflage vest, two jungle hats, a handbag and N44,500 in cash.
The Army said preliminary examination of the suspects’ mobile phone revealed photographs and video materials considered potentially incriminating and of intelligence value.
It added that the materials were being subjected to further verification and exploitation by the appropriate authorities to determine their relevance and possible links to terrorist activities within the area.
The Army described the operation as another setback for criminal elements operating in the axis, noting that the arrests and recovery of weapons, ammunition and communication equipment underscored the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations and sustained patrols by the troops.
The Acting Commander of 1 Brigade, Col. J. Umaru, commended the troops for their vigilance, courage and professionalism.
He charged them to sustain the tempo of offensive operations and continue to deny terrorists and other criminal elements the freedom to operate within the brigade’s area of responsibility.
The commander also reaffirmed the brigade’s commitment to protecting lives and property while supporting efforts to restore lasting peace and security across Zamfara State.
