Nigeria: Yobe Confirms Arrest of Suspect Linked to Maiduguri Bomb Blast

1 January 2026
Vanguard (Lagos)

Damaturu-- A suspect, Ibrahim Mohammed, allegedly involved in the December 24 bomb blast at a Maiduguri mosque, has been arrested by a vigilante group in Damaturu, Yobe State.

Mohammed was, subsequently, handed over to troops of Sector 2, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Joint Task Force North-East.

Brig.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd), Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, disclosed this yesterday in Damaturu.

NAN reports that the vigilante group is part of the state security system, funded by the state government and operationally coordinated by the military.

Abubakar said the suspect was arrested on December 29 after being allegedly assigned by insurgents to spy on troop and vigilante deployments and locations in Yobe. He added that the suspect was profiled by troops and sister agencies before being transferred to the Theatre Command headquarters, OPHK, in Maiduguri, Borno.

The official expressed optimism that interrogation of the suspect would yield useful information for the arrest of his collaborators, including the leaders of his cell.

Abubakar also revealed that the suspect admitted to planting another bomb in a Maiduguri market and urged relevant security agencies to defuse it.

He appealed to citizens to assist security operatives with credible information in the fight against crime.

Read the original article on Vanguard.

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