Terrorism: Troops Arrest Man, Son, Recover AK-47 Rifle

Troops of the Nigerian Army yesterday arrested a father and his son suspected of involvement in terrorism during a coordinated counter-terrorism operation in Bauni Forest, Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

A military source, who said he was not permitted to speak officially, said the suspects, identified as Muhammadu Ali and his son, Umaru Ali, were apprehended in the forest, where troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle loaded with a magazine containing 7.62mm ammunition.

Other items recovered from the suspects at the point of arrest included N9,760 in cash and three motorcycle tubes.

Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the suspects had emerged from the forest to visit his family when troops, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended him.

The arrest is part of sustained counter-terrorism operations aimed at identifying and dismantling criminal networks operating within forested communities in the North-West.

The two suspects are currently in military custody while investigations continue to establish the full extent of their alleged involvement and determine whether they have links to other members of the suspected network.

They are expected to be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution after the conclusion of preliminary investigations.

Security sources said the latest arrests underscore the importance of sustained operations, intelligence gathering and community-level vigilance in tackling terrorism and other security threats in Sokoto State.