No fewer than 16 foreign terrorists and other suspects have been arrested by the military and other security agencies in separate operations across Nigeria within 14 months, raising fresh concerns over the involvement of foreign operatives in the country’s worsening security crisis.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ELLAN.png")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
The suspects, according to military sources and compiled security reports, include nationals of Pakistan, Chad and Niger, while other foreign fighters linked to terrorist networks in the North-East reportedly include Arabs, a Palestinian, a Moroccan and a Syrian national.
The arrests and security encounters reportedly took place across parts of the North-East and North-Central between May 2025 and July 2026, reinforcing concerns that foreign operatives are playing active roles in terrorism, arms trafficking, training, intelligence gathering and logistical support for insurgent groups operating in Nigeria.
On July 12, troops of Operation Hadin Kai disclosed that a Palestinian Arab identified as Abu Ishaq, said to be ISWAP’s overall trainer; a Moroccan Arab identified as Abu Thaiba, described as a medical doctor within the terrorist network; and another unidentified Arab operative were among terrorists who allegedly planned a thwarted infiltration into Cross Kauwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
During the operation, the military said it killed several high-profile terrorists, including a Syrian national and an ISWAP commander, Aliyu Zabarmari, while another foreign fighter described as an Arab mercenary was said to be missing.
On July 19, troops of the 115 Task Force Battalion reportedly arrested an alleged foreign spy, Abubakar Zen, who claimed to be a citizen of the Niger Republic, at Mallam Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
A military source at Defence Headquarters also confirmed the arrest of another suspected foreign terrorist fighter and illegal immigrant in Borno, though the suspect’s name was withheld.
The military also announced the arrest of two foreign jihadists on July 20, accusing them of providing advanced training, drone logistics and technological support to local terrorist cells.
In another operation, troops working with operatives of the Department of State Services arrested three Chadian nationals, Bilal Muhammed Umar, Bashir Muhammed and Muhammed Maigari Abubakar, in Gombe State. They were allegedly found with components used for improvised explosive devices.
In May 2025, troops of Operation Hadin Kai arrested four Pakistani nationals in the North-East over allegations of arms trafficking and operating training camps for insurgent groups.
Security agencies, including the DSS, also arrested five foreigners in Plateau State between May 15 and 20, 2025. The suspects were identified as three foreign Fulani migrants and two Chadian nationals.
On June 24, a High Court in Sokoto State sentenced three men, including a Nigerien national, Yusuf Muhammad, also known as Sallau, to death by hanging after convicting them of terrorism and arms proliferation.
The developments have raised questions about the extent of foreign infiltration into terrorist networks operating in Nigeria and whether international intelligence agencies have been formally engaged to track foreign operatives linked to insurgent groups.
Military sources said the discovery of foreign nationals within terrorist formations had heightened the need for stronger intelligence cooperation among countries in the Lake Chad Basin. However, they declined to disclose whether the Palestinian and Moroccan nationals had been placed on international watchlists or whether formal requests had been made to their countries of origin.
They also declined to comment on whether INTERPOL or other international counterterrorism agencies had been formally enlisted in the manhunt, citing the sensitivity of ongoing intelligence and security operations.
One military officer said the presence of foreign nationals in terrorist networks was not entirely new, but the discovery of operatives with specialised skills showed the changing nature of the insurgency.
According to the source, terrorist groups are increasingly exploiting porous borders, difficult terrain and weak state presence to move personnel, weapons, funds and expertise across national boundaries.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Micheal Onoja, declined to provide details when asked about the total number of foreign terrorists arrested and plans to apprehend others providing support to terrorist groups.
“Nothing much to it. No comments for now,” he said.
Reacting to concerns over porous borders, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service, Akinlabi Akinlabi, said the agency was working closely with the military and other security agencies to strengthen border security and prevent the movement of terrorists and irregular migrants into Nigeria.
He said Nigeria’s borders with Benin Republic, Niger, Chad and Cameroon naturally place pressure on border management and require sustained surveillance and inter-agency cooperation.
“We collaborate with the military all the time. Nigeria is surrounded by other countries; Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Naturally, that will put pressure on our borders. That is geography, and the same applies to other countries,” Akinlabi said.
A retired military officer, Abiodun Shobaye, said the reported presence of foreign combat trainers and medical specialists suggested that the insurgency may be drawing increasing expertise from outside the region.
He said such foreign elements could help local terrorist cells survive military pressure and adapt to new counterterrorism strategies.
According to him, the military must go beyond tracking individual fighters and identify the financial networks, recruitment channels, training structures, supply routes, communication systems and international connections that enable foreign operatives to support terrorist organisations.
A public policy analyst and security expert, Musa Buko, also described the discovery of foreign terrorist trainers in Nigeria as a worrying development.
He warned that foreign specialists could improve the capacity of terrorist groups to manufacture explosives, deploy drones and conduct more sophisticated combat operations.
Buko urged the Federal Government to construct military-grade border fences along Nigeria’s international borders and deploy high-end technological surveillance systems for early threat detection.
The Chief Executive Officer of Stallion Securities, Musa Abdullahi, said the deployment of advanced military drones by terrorists had changed the security landscape.
He described Nigeria’s northern borders as vulnerable due to the vast territories shared with Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic, adding that inadequate human and technological resources had made the borders attractive for smuggling, illegal migration and transnational criminal networks.
“Since we do not have enough human and technological assets to effectively manage these complex borders, it becomes a free highway for smuggling and trans-border criminality,” Abdullahi said.
He added that many border communities in northern Nigeria lack basic infrastructure, making them vulnerable to terrorist recruitment, criminal exploitation and movement of fighters.
Another security analyst, identified as Hamzat, argued that the central challenge was not merely porous borders but the ability of terrorist networks to build operational infrastructure within the region.
He said security agencies must focus on dismantling the support structure of ISIS-linked organisations instead of targeting only individual fighters.
“The priority should be comprehensive intelligence-driven operations to identify their infrastructure, operational capabilities and strategy, irrespective of their nationality, and uproot it,” he said.
Hamzat said foreign terrorist networks had become increasingly comfortable operating in remote areas where state presence and security resistance remain weak.
“The issue of the porous border is not the major issue because you can’t identify a terrorist simply by looking. But we must make Nigeria and West Africa unliveable for foreign terrorist networks,” he said.
He added that terrorists currently benefit from weak intelligence systems, inadequate air power and limited resistance in rural communities.
_______________________________________________________________________ LAWBREED NEW WIG SPECIAL OFFER — Give a newly called lawyer a lasting professional gift.
Get up to 20% off selected LAWBREED Supreme Court Reports, plus access to My S.C Extra, featuring Supreme Court judgments from 1972 to date. Call/WhatsApp: 08077011741 | 08077011755 | 08077011730 | 08023269613 Email: orders@lawbreed.com | mails@lawbreed.com
LAWBREED — Equipping You For Greater Success!
______________________________________________________________________
“Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
As an added bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE ebook titled: “How to use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion.”
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACiarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
_______________________________________________________________________
“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof
