The Nigerian military has cleared a Nigerien camel herder. He was previously reported by a pro-military blog as a suspected Moroccan member of the Islamic State (ISIS). Investigations showed no evidence connecting him to any terrorist group.
On Thursday, Mohammed Goni, the acting spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, named the man as Aboubakar Zein-Nur, also known as Houdairi. He was detained during military operations but has now been cleared after intelligence checks and investigations.
“Comprehensive intelligence assessments and other investigative processes did not establish that the individual has any affiliation to any known terrorist group,” Mr Goni said.
This clarification comes nine days after Zagazola Makama published a report. The platform often shares security news, including from unnamed sources. They reported that troops had arrested “a fleeing foreign suspect believed to be an Arab of Moroccan origin with suspected links to the Islamic State (ISIS).”
The report, released on 14 July, was not shared through the Nigerian Army’s official channels. Still, many Nigerian media outlets widely republished it.
According to the 14 July report, the suspect was arrested during operations after troops repelled an attempted ISWAP attack on Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Unnamed security sources claimed the suspect was identified through forensic analysis of video footage from a camcorder. This camcorder allegedly belonged to an ISWAP cameraman killed during the failed assault on 12 July.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the military checked the footage and linked the attack to four senior ISWAP commanders. They were working with three foreign terrorist facilitators, including a Palestinian trainer and a Moroccan described as a medical doctor.
The 14 July report also said the man had been flown by a Nigerian Air Force helicopter to a secure military facility for intensive questioning over suspected ties to ISIS’s transnational network.
But in Thursday’s statement, Mr Goni shared a different story. He confirmed that troops of the 68 Battalion intercepted the man during follow-up operations after the Cross Kauwa attack. He said the man was taken into custody according to operational procedures. Terrorist groups often use border routes in the Lake Chad area for movement and logistics.
He identified the man as a resident of Shattu Anguba Village in Bosso, Republic of Niger, who raises camels beyond the River Komadougou. “Comprehensive intelligence assessments and other investigative processes did not establish that the individual has any affiliation to any known terrorist group,” Mr Goni said.
He added that the military has “consequently cleared the individual of any terrorist links.” Mr Goni explained that the case shows the practice of profiling and screening people intercepted under suspicious conditions during military operations.
He also reaffirmed the military’s commitment to professionalism, respect for human rights, and the rule of law while fighting against insurgency.
The latest clarification contradicts the main claim in the 14 July report, which identified the man as a suspected Moroccan ISIS operative. While the military has now shared the investigation's outcome, they did not issue an official statement after the original claim. The earlier report relied entirely on unnamed security sources and was spread by various media outlets.
This adds to the ongoing debate among conflict researchers, analysts, and journalists about the role of unofficial military narratives and propaganda in Nigeria’s fight against insurgency.
On Wednesday, the military identified the ISWAP cameraman allegedly killed during the 12 July attack as Abu Salim al-Barnawi. The statement included screenshots from a viral video, which the military claims shows the slain cameraman.
However, a fact-check by this newspaper showed that the video was made seven years before the attack. Despite these findings, the military has not withdrawn the claim or provided more evidence or a detailed explanation to support its assertion.
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