Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) on December 31, 2025, arrested 14 suspects, including Shariff Umar, principal coordinator of suicide bombing activities responsible for recent attacks and attempted attacks within the North East.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer at the Headquarters of OPHK, in a statement issued on January 3, said the suspects were apprehended during a “cordon-and-search operation conducted at the Kalmari area of Maiduguri,” Borno State.
He described the arrests as a major breakthrough in sustained counter-terrorism operations.
Shariff Umar is said to be responsible for recruiting, preparing, directing, and dispatching suicide bombers to assigned targets, as well as coordinating logistics and delivery of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components. His wife, Yagana Modu, is also involved in the network.
“During the investigation, a suspected suicide bomber currently in custody, Ibrahim Muhammad, unequivocally identified Shariff Umar (also known as “Yusuf”) as the ringleader and coordinator of the terror network,” part of the statement reads.
Shariff Umar, according to the investigation, directly coordinated the suicide bombing attack at the Gamboru Market Mosque on December 24 2025. He was also identified as the coordinator of the foiled suicide bombing attempt in Damaturu, Yobe State.
OPHK urges members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons, movements, or activities to security agencies, emphasising that cooperation and trust between troops of OPHK and local communities are essential to completely rooting out terrorism and restoring lasting peace across the North East.
