Military detains Yobe politician accused of ISWAP logistics support, rejects political motive claims

Troops from Operation HADIN KAI have taken into custody a politician from Yobe State, Alhaji Wakiil Goni Mama, commonly called Mai Salati. He faces allegations of providing logistics support to terrorism and working with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants active in the North-East. Citing military sources, security analyst Zagazola Makama said the arrest occurred after troops detected an alleged effort by the suspect to pay off military personnel so that suspects detained in Kanamma, Yobe State, over suspected terrorist logistics could be freed. The sources stated that intelligence-driven work by the Commander of Sector 2 and the 27 Task Force Brigade led to tracking and capturing the politician. He was allegedly functioning as a prominent supplier and collaborator for terrorist elements. According to the sources, the earlier suspects arrested in Kanamma were undergoing further investigation when Mai Salati reportedly tried to step in and obtain their release by giving money to soldiers. The troops did not accept the inducement; instead, they detained him and began procedures to move him to Maiduguri for additional investigation and legal steps. The politician and the other suspects were later transferred from Damaturu toward Maiduguri. Security authorities are expected to conduct detailed interrogation and investigation there to determine the scope of their alleged ties to terrorist networks. The case has also prompted a firm rejection of social media assertions that Mai Salati’s arrest was politically driven and linked to his purported switch from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Makama said the military operation, according to security sources, was not connected to politics. It concerned allegations involving terrorism logistics and an alleged attempt to interfere with the detention of persons suspected of supplying logistics to ISWAP. The sources added that if confirmed by investigation, the reported effort to bribe troops to release suspected terrorist logistics suppliers would be an especially grave matter. Military sources said counter-terrorism efforts rely greatly on security forces’ capacity to cut off the financial, transportation, communication, food, fuel, weapons and other supply chains that allow terrorist organizations to function. They added that those accused of offering such support are therefore not marginal to terrorism.