The Nigerian Army has detained a 15-year-old boy in Borno State over alleged links to terrorist activity.

Soldiers from 149 Battalion, alongside Civilian Joint Task Force members under Operation HADIN KAI, picked up Umar Zacharria in Gubio town at about 1:20 p.m. on May 14. Preliminary reports indicate he is from Jere Local Government Area and allegedly told investigators he was involved with a group targeting motorists around Kareto. He remains in military custody as investigations continue.

Separately, troops of 196 Amphibious Battalion stopped a 50-year-old woman, Kellu Alhaji Abba, at a security checkpoint in Kukawa LGA on May 20, 2026. She was allegedly caught moving supplies intended for her son, believed to be an ISWAP fighter.

These arrests occurred as the military sustains counter-insurgency efforts in the North-East. In another incident, a 15-year-old identified as Tijjani was arrested on April 12, 2026, near Ngamdu with ₦850,000. He reportedly admitted to participating in an armed attack on a military base in the Lake Chad Basin area, where he said he helped reload weapons and was trained on AK-47 rifles and RPGs.