Troops Nab Terror Kingpin ‘Babawo Badoo’, 37 Others, Rescue 15 Victims

The Nigerian Army has said that its troops have arrested a wanted notorious insurgent leader identified as Idris Idris (a.k.a Babawo Badoo), alongside 37 other criminal suspects.

The Nigerian Army, in a statement on its social media handle on Thursday, also said own troops during the coordinated operations across the country rescued 15 kidnap victims, neutralised two terrorists and recovered assorted weapons, ammunition and logistics items.

The statement said the high-profile suspect, Babawo Badoo, was arrested on October 20, 2025, by troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE at Lugere Village in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State.

According to the statement, the troops, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended the suspect and recovered one AK-47 rifle, a magazine loaded with 10 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, a mobile phone, and the sum of ₦12,000.

“The successful operation dealt a major blow to the network of violent extremists operating in the North-Central region,” it said.

In a related development, troops of Sector 1, Operation ENDURING PEACE, in collaboration with the Nigerian Police and Civilian Joint Task Force, raided a suspected criminal hideout at Saya Village in Bassa local government area of Plateau State where 19 suspects were arrested, undergoing further investigation.

Meanwhile, in the North-East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), apprehended an ISWAP/JAS terrorist informant and ransom collector at the Customs IDP Camp in Jere local government area of Borno State.
Similarly, troops ambushed and neutralised two terrorists at Ngirbuwa Village in Gujba local government area of the State, recovered one AK-47 rifle with three magazines.

In further operations, troops also arrested six suspected terrorist collaborators and logistics suppliers in Borno and Yobe States.

Items recovered from the suspects included 33 petrol-filled with 25 litres of jerry cans, food items, mobile phones and identification cards belonging to the Lake Chad Fishermen Association, used to conceal their criminal activities.

“Troops also rescued several victims who escaped from terrorist enclaves following an intense Military bombardment in Kukawa local government area of Borno State,” it added.

In the same vein, troops of Operations Whirl Stroke and Enduring Peace in Benue, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States, in an intensified clearance operations, arrested several violent extremist informants and recovered locally fabricated weapons.

In Imo State, troops of 34 Artillery Brigade apprehended a suspected IPOB/ESN member in possession of a locally made pistol and live cartridges, while 7 Guards Battalion troops in the Federal Capital Territory intercepted five illegal immigrants of Chadian, Cameroonian and Nigerien origins.

Troops also rescued four kidnap victims in Edu local government area of Kwara State, five in Dan Musa local government area of Katsina State and another during a swift response to a distress call in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State.

Furthermore, in Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi State, troops rescued two injured civilians attacked by unidentified criminals and evacuated them to a nearby hospital.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, upon being briefed on the developments, commended the troops’ resilience, operational efficiency and dedication.
He further urged them to sustain the momentum in the ongoing efforts to rid the nation of all forms of criminality.