The Nigerian military says they have arrested Aisha Auta, the wife of a wanted terrorist leader, and recovered N37 million in cash after coordinated operations around the country.
Major General Michael Onoja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, said this during the weekly media conference. He also said that between February 13 and 19, 2026, forces captured 20 suspected terrorists and freed 39 people who had been kidnapped.
Onoja says that one of the most well-known arrests was that of Aisha Auta, who was taken into custody by Operation Whirl Stroke forces in the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State on February 19, 2026.
He said that the arrest was based on reliable information about terrorist activity in Kumeh village.
Onoja added, “On February 19, 2026, troops went to Kumeh village in the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State after hearing about terrorist activity there and fought the terrorists.”
“During the heated fight, forces killed terrorists while others got away with gunshot wounds. After that, the troops used the region and found hidden stores of weapons and ammo.
“Overall, these operations had big effects, like the arrest of 11 terrorists, including Aisha Auta, the wife of a well-known wanted terrorist ring leader. Her capture is expected to give us useful information about how the network works and how it gets money,” he said.
The defense spokesperson further said that the N37 million that was found during the raids is thought to be connected to funding and logistics for terrorists.
Onoja told Nigerians that the Armed Forces would continue to carry out offensive operations in different areas of the country in order to weaken terrorists and break up their support networks.
He also said that actions based on intelligence would continue to target terrorist groups and criminals that pose a threat to national security.
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