Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested three suspected terrorist logistics suppliers during separate operations in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.
The operations, conducted on September 11 by troops of the 73 Battalion in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), also led to the recovery of food items, household goods, bicycles and mobile phones.
Two of the suspects, identified as 30-year-old Umar Alhaji Bako and 21-year-old Lawan Bukar, were arrested opposite Koppa village while allegedly transporting food and household items from Maiduguri to Alajiri in Mafa Local Government Area for delivery to terrorists.
During preliminary interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that terrorists had been sending them money to purchase supplies, which they would later collect from their farms in Alajiri.
They also reportedly said failure to deliver the requested items attracted severe punishment, adding that the trip was their third attempt to supply the terrorists.
Items recovered from the suspects included assorted sweets, detergents, spaghetti, mosquito coils, groundnut and palm oil, salt, corn flour, slippers, clothing materials, earrings, caps, Vaseline, a mat, two MP3 music boxes, two Tecno keypad phones, two bicycles and N1,700.
In a separate operation at about 8:30 p.m. the same day, troops arrested another suspected logistics supplier, 62-year-old Malam Abdullahi Abubakar, at Koppa village.
Abubakar reportedly confessed that terrorists had given him money to purchase logistics supplies in Sojiri and promised him N10,000 for successfully delivering the items.
He further alleged that several farmers in the area were involved in similar activities, either voluntarily or under coercion.
Troops recovered 240 sachets of milk, five litres of groundnut oil and six pieces of kola nut from him.
