Wanted Soldier Arrested While Attempting to Flee to Cameroon

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of a soldier, Private Mohammed Yusuf, who was declared wanted over alleged sale of military equipment to terrorists and other criminal elements.

The Theatre Command of Operation HADIN KAI disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, saying Yusuf was arrested at Jidari Motor Park in Maiduguri while allegedly attempting to flee to the Republic of Cameroon.

The Command’s spokesperson for the North-East, Capt. Muhammed Goni, said preliminary investigations showed that Yusuf absconded from his military base on July 7, 2026.

Goni said the soldier subsequently went into hiding in the Gomari Costain area of Jere Local Government Area before he was arrested following credible intelligence.

He said investigations were ongoing to establish the full extent of Yusuf’s alleged involvement and determine whether other persons were involved in the activities under investigation.

The Army reiterated its commitment to sanctioning personnel found to be involved in activities capable of undermining national security.

It also urged members of the public to continue providing security agencies with credible and timely information to support ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and other forms of criminality.