The Nigerian military has announced the arrest of the wife of a wanted notorious terrorist leader, Aisha Auta, alongside the recovery of N37 million in cash during coordinated operations across the country.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this during the weekly media briefing, revealing that troops also arrested 20 suspected terrorists between February 13 and 19, 2026, and rescued 39 kidnapped victims within the same period.
According to Onoja, one of the high-profile arrests was Aisha Auta, apprehended by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State on February 19, 2026.
He explained that the arrest followed credible intelligence on terrorist activities in Kumeh village.
“In a notable encounter on February 19, 2026, following information about terrorist activities at Kumeh village in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State, troops mobilised to the area and engaged the terrorists,” Onoja said.
“During the fierce exchange, troops neutralised terrorists while others escaped with gunshot injuries. Troops subsequently exploited the general area and recovered caches of arms and ammunition.
“Overall, these operations yielded significant outcomes, including the arrest of 11 terrorists, among them Aisha Auta, the wife of a notorious wanted terrorist ring leader whose capture is expected to yield valuable intelligence on network structures and financing,” he added.
The defence spokesperson further disclosed that the N37 million recovered during the operations is believed to be linked to terrorist financing and logistics.
Onoja reassured Nigerians of the Armed Forces’ resolve to sustain offensive operations across various theatres of operation in a bid to degrade terrorists’ capabilities and dismantle their support networks.
He added that ongoing intelligence-driven operations would continue to target terrorist enclaves and criminal elements threatening national security.
