The Nigerian army has confirmed the arrest of Zainab Usman, said to
be the wife of a Boko Haram/ISWAP leader and a female recruiter for the
insurgents.
In a statement released by the Nigerian Army Operations Media
Coordinator Col. Aminu Iliyasu on Sunday January 26, it was gathered
that Zainab was arrested at Modu Sulemri area of Abujan Talakawa Ward of
Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
Zainab who is the wife Alai Usman, a high profile ISWAP Province
logistics supplier is believed to be in contact with other high profile
Boko Haram/ISWAP commanders and also recruiting young fighters for the
insurgents.
One Mallam Ahmed Yakuba, a high profile Islamic State West Africa
Province informant at Auno Village was also arrested by troops of 212
Battalion deployed in Auno, Kaga LGA of Borno State in conjunction with
elements of Civilian Joint Task Force.
Yakuba who was born in Niger Republic, grew up in Sudan and has been
living in Nigeria for 15 years before his arrest. He has already
confessed to being a Boko Haram spy.
The statement added;
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was born in
Niger Republic, grew up in Sudan and has been in Nigeria for the past 15
years.“However, during interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a spy
for ISWAP criminals on a mission to spy on troops’ location in Auno and
other locations along the Maiduguri – Damaturu road”.