The Nigerian military has arrested a Chinese national during a recent counter-terrorism operation in Borno State, the Defence Headquarters announced on Friday.
According to Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, the foreigner—who claimed to be a miner—was apprehended alongside five suspected terrorist logistics suppliers and collaborators during coordinated military raids conducted between June 5 and 7 in Kukawa and Ngala local government areas of Borno, and Geidam in Yobe State.
Though the identity of the Chinese national has not been made public, Kangye revealed that the suspect is currently in custody and undergoing interrogation to determine his activities and possible connections to terrorist groups operating in the region.
Suspicious Presence in Operational Area
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Kangye raised concerns over the suspect’s location at the time of his arrest.
“Anybody that is caught, just like you know with criminals, they will just deny involvement. But the question is: what brought him there at the time of arrest? Why was he in an operational area where our troops were conducting operations?” he asked.
Items recovered during the operation included a vehicle, motorcycle, mobile phones, a Chinese international passport, and the sum of ₦10,000.
Investigation Underway
Kangye said a full investigation is ongoing, and that the military will release more details once the probe is complete, including whether the suspect had local or international accomplices.
This incident comes shortly after the military disclosed the arrest of four Pakistani nationals allegedly involved in training terrorists in the same region.
Military Defends Response Time
In response to criticism that troops are often slow to respond to distress calls in remote communities, Kangye said such claims are “misleading.” He cited difficult terrain, resource coordination, and deployment logistics as factors that impact response times.
“People must understand that our troops are not in every village… incidents sometimes occur 10 to 15 kilometres from the nearest military base,” he explained.
Kangye emphasized that all distress calls are being attended to and reassured the public of the military’s commitment to protecting citizens and neutralizing threats.
“Let’s not rush to label our troops as slow. They are working under tough conditions, and I can assure you—they respond when called upon,” he concluded.
