Four Pakistani nationals were detained by the Nigerian military on suspicion of engaging in terrorism-related operations, such as the trafficking of weapons and the training of rebel organizations in the northeastern region of the country.
At the operational headquarters in Maiduguri on Wednesday, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, informed defense correspondents of the development.
Initial investigations showed that the foreigners were directly involved in importing weapons and giving technical and tactical support to terrorist groups including the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, Abubakar said.
According to him, “the threat posed by terrorist groups like ISWAP and JAS has significantly escalated due to the infiltration of foreign mercenaries in the joint operations area.”
“It’s instructive that four Pakistani nationals were recently arrested; preliminary investigations indicate that they deal in weapons and collaborate with terrorists.”
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He clarified that the presence of such foreign agents has increased the region’s terrorist activities’ lethality and sophistication, allowing organizations to use more sophisticated strategies.
These strategies include using drones for surveillance and assaults, creating sophisticated IEDs, and setting up military-style traps to target soldiers.
To combat the escalating threat of cross-border terrorism, General Abubakar emphasized the necessity of a concerted international effort.
In order to destroy the networks that enable these threats, he urged governments in the region to cooperate, share intelligence, and conduct more monitoring.
“A swift and well-coordinated response is necessary to address this concerning trend,” he stated. “The Nigerian government, not just the military, is at war with the terrorists of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province.”
While the inquiry is ongoing, the military has not yet disclosed the identities of the Pakistani nationals who were arrested.
