The Nigerien Army has reportedly arrested a suspected high-ranking member of the terrorist organization Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) in the Tillabéri region.
Reports according to popular Security analyst Zagazola Makama indicated that cash, weapons, and logistical supplies believed to be intended for terrorist activities were recovered from the sect’s commander.
In its operational report for the period from April 3 to April 5, the army confirmed that the suspect was intercepted on April 3 at approximately 6:30 p.m. while traveling in a vehicle on the Torodi–Niamey route.
Military sources indicate that a search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a firearm, multiple mobile phones, and a total of 5,032,900 CFA francs. The army suspects that these funds were earmarked for acquiring logistics to facilitate terrorist operations.
Further investigations led the troops to a garden owned by the suspect in the village of Boborgou, which was reportedly utilized as a logistical hub by armed groups. Among the items found were food supplies, communication airtime, clothing, and black fabric believed to be used for camouflage purposes.
Additionally, security forces discovered a substantial stock of pasta in a nearby school building, which is thought to have been intended to support active terrorist operatives in the region.
The army has also indicated that the suspect is closely associated with the hijacking of two vehicles that occurred between Makalondi and Niaktiré on April 2.
Ongoing security operations in the area are part of a larger initiative aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and restoring stability.