Police Fault Army Over Claim Of Suicide Bomber’s Arrest In Borno

The Borno State Police Command has faulted reports credited to the Nigerian Army claiming to have arrested a suspected suicide bomber in the state, insisting that the operation was carried out solely by the Police, and that no active improvised explosive device (IED) was recovered.

Recall that on Tuesday, the Nigerian Army announced the arrest of a suspected suicide bomber, identified as Abubakar Mustapha, in Banki town, Bama local government area of Borno State.

The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East (Operation Hadin Kai), Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, in a statement, had said that troops of the 152 Task Force Battalion, in collaboration with other security agencies, apprehended the suspect during a joint operation on Monday.

According to Uba, the operation was based on credible intelligence aimed at securing the area against possible terrorist attacks.

“At about 5:40 pm on Monday, December 29, 2025, personnel deployed at the Banki Central Mosque apprehended a suspected suicide bomber identified as Abubakar Mustapha,” the statement read.

He added that the suspect was allegedly found in possession of “materials believed to be components of a primed IED,” suggesting an imminent plan to carry out an attack.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect hails from Bama Local Government Area and was discovered with additional incriminating materials linked to terrorist activities. He is currently undergoing detailed interrogation to establish his sponsors, collaborators, and possible links with terrorist networks operating within the area,” Uba said.

He further assured that troops under Operation Hadin Kai “continue to dominate their areas of responsibility through aggressive patrols, intelligence-led operations, and sustained presence to deny JAS/ISWAP terrorists freedom of action.”

But, the Borno State Police Command on Wednesday morning dismissed the Army’s claims, saying the arrest was made by its operatives and not soldiers.

According to PUNCH Online, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, in a telephone interview with ita correspondent, said: “The same suspect shown in the pictures released by the Army is with us. I personally interviewed him last night. The items recovered from him are not IEDs. It was a police operation.”

The command also released an official statement early Wednesday warning against misinformation.

“The Borno State Police Command has observed with concern the circulation of social media videos alleging the recovery of improvised explosive device (IED) components in Banki, Bama Local Government Area,” the statement read.

“To set the record straight, on December 29, 2025, at about 6:10 pm, operatives of the command, while on surveillance around a mosque in Banki, accosted one Abubakar in possession of a bag containing electrical wires, old mobile phone batteries, assorted gadget scrap materials, and pairs of shoes,” Daso clarified.

He explained that preliminary investigations showed that the items recovered “had no indication of active IED fabrication or priming.”

“The case has been transferred to the State Command Headquarters for comprehensive investigation. The suspect is currently in custody, while investigations are ongoing to ascertain the circumstances and intent surrounding possession of the items,” he added.

Daso cautioned members of the public against spreading unverified information capable of causing panic, urging them to rely only on credible and official sources for updates.