- Authorities have arrested 245 individuals suspected of links to terrorist groups
- Over 559 kilograms of drugs and 108,381 tablets were confiscated
- The arrests coincide with the launch of two major military operations
Nigerian authorities have detained at least 245 individuals believed to be affiliated with terrorist organizations, according to official sources on Thursday.
These arrests are part of ongoing efforts by Niger’s Central Service for the Fight against Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime, coordinated by the Integrated Operations Coordination Center (CICO).
The detainees are suspected members of armed groups involved in criminal activities such as kidnappings along the Niger-Nigeria border, where Boko Haram operates.
Additional arrests were made near the Mali-Niger border, an area associated with the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM), and in the Agadez region, known for its gold mines. The arrested individuals include nationals from Algeria, Chad, and Somalia.
Alongside the arrests, security forces seized over 559 kilograms of drugs and 108,381 tablets of various substances, and apprehended 139 drug traffickers. These actions are part of a broader strategy to dismantle criminal networks in the region.
The crackdown coincides with the Nigerien junta’s initiation of two major military operations: Operation Almah in the Tillaberi region and Operation Garkoua in the Agadez region, aimed at eradicating criminal elements.
Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) last September following a coup in Niger, and the three nations have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States to address growing security threats with a new joint military force.
