By: Nigerian eye

Troops from the Joint Task Force (JTF) North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have intercepted a massive consignment of materials suspected to be used in weaponizing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and sustaining insurgent operations in Yobe State. 

The seizure, which occurred on September 16 along the strategic Nguru–Gashua road, underscores the ongoing cross-border supply chains feeding groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Acting on credible intelligence, troops under Operation Desert Sanity IV mounted a snap checkpoint at approximately 7:40 a.m., halting a suspicious red 14-tyre trailer en route to the Niger Republic border. 

A thorough inspection uncovered a trove of illicit goods concealed beneath bundles of fabric: 700 bags of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer—a key precursor for manufacturing IEDs—27 cartons of assorted drugs, and nine cartons of normal saline solution, all earmarked for terrorist logistics.  

The fabrics, intelligence sources revealed, were intended for sewing uniforms to equip fighters, highlighting the sophisticated procurement tactics employed by these groups.  

The operation did not end with the trailer. Later that morning at 10:30 a.m., the same vigilant troops intercepted two Sharon vehicles and another trailer laden with additional bundles of fabrics and solar panels—items critical for powering remote terrorist camps in the Lake Chad Basin region.

All three vehicles, along with their drivers and assistants, have been detained at a secure JTF facility in Damaturu for further interrogation and forensic analysis, as authorities work to dismantle the broader smuggling ring.  

Major General Ibrahim Ali, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, hailed the interceptions as a "major breakthrough" in the fight against insurgency. 

"Our troops remain resolute in cutting off the oxygen supply to these criminal elements," he stated in a press release from the JTF headquarters. 

"This operation exposes the porous nature of our borders and the urgent need for enhanced regional cooperation with neighboring countries like Niger to choke these networks."  

The command emphasized that such proactive measures have prevented potential attacks and saved countless lives in Yobe, a state long scarred by Boko Haram's reign of terror.