Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested Shariff Umar, the principal coordinator of suicide bombing activities responsible for recent attacks and attempted attacks within the North East.
Its Media Information Officer, Lt-Col. Sani Uba in a statement issued Saturday said the development followed intelligence-led cordon-and-search operations conducted at the Kalmari area of Maiduguri on 31 December 2025, during which 14 suspects linked to suicide bombing activities were arrested.
He added that subsequent detailed identification and investigative processes established the structure, roles, and operational linkages of the terror cell.
Uba noted: “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.
“According to consistent and corroborated statements, Shariff Umar was 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.
“Investigations further revealed that Shariff Umar directly coordinated the suicide bombing attack at the Gamboru Market Mosque on 24 December 2025, during which his accomplice, Adamu (now deceased), detonated a suicide vest.
“He was also identified as the coordinator of the foiled suicide bombing attempt in Damaturu, personally handing over IED components to the suicide bomber in Maiduguri.”
Umar said additional links within the network were established, including the involvement of Shariff Umar’s wife, Yagana Modu, and the confirmation by his stepdaughter, Amina, who admitted to previously seeing the suspect bomber within their residence.
“These findings significantly strengthened the investigative trail and exposed the domestic and community-based concealment methods employed by terrorist facilitators,” Uba noted.
He stressed that all suspects remain firmly in custody and are undergoing intensive, multi-layered investigations aimed at fully dismantling the network, identifying additional collaborators, and recovering any remaining explosives or logistical
assets.