ISWAP terrorists
Security operatives have arrested two suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Lagos, raising fresh concerns over the militant group’s alleged attempts to extend its reach beyond Nigeria’s North-east.
The suspects, identified as Modu Gana and Ibrahim Dugge, were apprehended on Sunday morning by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the Apapa area of Lagos, according to sources quoted by Premium Times.
A security source with direct knowledge of the operation said the arrests were carried out around 8:45 a.m., following actionable intelligence.
According to the source, the two men were believed to have fled the insurgency-ravaged North-east and relocated to Lagos under circumstances that triggered security interest.
The suspects have since been taken into custody and are currently undergoing interrogation.
“The arrest was intelligence-led,” the source said, noting that investigations were ongoing to determine the suspects’ movements, contacts and possible intentions within the state
When contacted, officials of the DSS declined to confirm the arrests, stating that the information had not been formally brought to their attention.
As of press time, the specific mission of the suspects in Lagos remained unclear. Security sources, however, said there was no immediate indication that they were planning an attack in the commercial capital.
Analysts have nevertheless warned that ISWAP has increasingly sought to expand its operational footprint beyond the North-east, posing evolving security challenges.
Nigeria’s insurgency crisis, driven largely by Boko Haram and its splinter faction ISWAP, has persisted for more than 15 years. Internal divisions within Boko Haram led to major breakaways in 2012 and 2016, with violence initially concentrated in the Borno, Adamawa and Yobe axis but gradually spreading to other parts of the country.
