Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation HADIN KAI have arrested a key coordinator of recent bomb attacks in Borno State along with 13 other suspects, the military announced on Saturday.

The principal suspect, Shariff Umar, also known as “Yusuf”, was identified as the main coordinator of a suicide bombing network responsible for several attacks and attempted attacks in the North-East, including the deadly blast at Gamboru Market Mosque in Maiduguri on December 24, 2025.

In a statement issued by Lieutenant-Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East (Operation HADIN KAI), the development followed intelligence-led cordon-and-search operations conducted in the Kalmari area of Maiduguri on December 31, 2025.

The operation resulted in the arrest of 14 suspects linked to suicide bombing activities, with subsequent investigations establishing the structure, roles and operational linkages of the terror cell.

According to the Army, a suspected suicide bomber currently in custody, Ibrahim Muhammad, provided detailed information during interrogation, unequivocally identifying Umar as the mastermind behind the attacks.

Umar is said to have been responsible for recruiting, preparing and dispatching suicide bombers, as well as coordinating logistics and the delivery of improvised explosive device (IED) components to operatives.

The military further disclosed that Umar directly coordinated the bombing of the Gamboru Market Mosque, in which his accomplice, identified as Adamu, detonated a suicide vest killing himself and injuring worshippers.

Umar was also linked to a foiled bombing attempt in Damaturu, Yobe State, where he is alleged to have personally handed over IED parts to a would-be attacker.

In addition to Umar, the investigation reportedly uncovered involvement by members of his immediate household.

The Army noted that Umar’s wife, Yagana Modu, and his step-daughter, Amina, provided corroborated testimonies that strengthened the evidential trail used to dismantle the terror cell.

All suspects remain in military custody and are undergoing intensive multi-layered investigations aimed at fully dismantling the terror network, identifying additional collaborators, and recovering any remaining explosives or logistical assets, the statement added.

The Army emphasised that the breakthrough underscored the importance of intelligence-driven operations and cooperation with local communities.

Citizens were urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons, movements or activities to security agencies to help prevent future attacks and protect innocent lives.

This development comes amid heightened military efforts by the Nigerian Army to degrade terrorist networks in the North-East, following a series of suicide bombings and other violent incidents that have claimed numerous lives and heightened insecurity in the region.