Troops Arrest Wanted Terrorist’s Wife, Recover N37m in Operations

Troops Arrest Wanted Terrorist’s Wife, Recover N37m in Operations

The Nigerian military has announced the arrest of the wife of a wanted terrorist leader and the recovery of N37 million in cash during coordinated operations across the country.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this at a weekly briefing, stating that troops arrested 20 suspected terrorists between February 13 and 19, 2026, while also rescuing 39 kidnapped victims.

Onoja said one of the high-profile arrests was Aisha Auta, identified as the wife of a notorious wanted terrorist ring leader. She was apprehended by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State on February 19.

According to him, the arrest followed credible intelligence on terrorist activities in Kumeh village.

“In a notable encounter on February 19, 2026, following information about terrorist activities at Kumeh village in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State, troops mobilised to the area and engaged the terrorists,” he said.

“During the fierce exchange, troops neutralised terrorists while others escaped with gunshot injuries. Troops subsequently exploited the general area and recovered caches of arms and ammunition.

“Overall, these operations yielded significant outcomes, including the arrest of 11 terrorists, among them Aisha Auta, the wife of a notorious wanted terrorist ring leader whose capture is expected to yield valuable intelligence on network structures and financing.”

The Defence spokesman added that the N37 million recovered during the operations is believed to be linked to terrorist financing and logistics.

He reiterated the military’s commitment to sustaining offensive operations across various theatres to degrade terrorist capabilities and dismantle their support networks.

The military assured Nigerians that ongoing intelligence-driven operations would continue to target terrorist enclaves and criminal elements threatening national security.