Nigerian troops have seized more than 400 Starlink satellite internet terminals used by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists across the North-East.
Brigadier General Beyidi Martins, the Commander of Sector 2, Operation HADIN KAI, announced the massive recovery during a press briefing with defence correspondents. He detailed how the high-tech devices, manufactured by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, were being utilised by insurgents to maintain connectivity in remote hideouts.
“Troops have intercepted and seized more than 400 Starlink communication devices allegedly used by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists across the North-East theatre,” Martins stated. He noted that the recovery was the result of deliberate, intelligence-driven operations designed to paralyse the insurgents’ ability to coordinate attacks.
The terminals were uncovered during aggressive sweeps through notorious insurgent strongholds, including the Sambisa Forest and the Timbuktu Triangle. These areas have long served as tactical bases for groups attempting to evade traditional cellular tracking.
“The recovered Starlink terminals were intercepted during sustained operations across Sambisa Forest, the Timbuktu Triangle, and other terrorist enclaves in the North-East,” Martins explained.
Military officials emphasised that the seizure is a pivotal part of a broader “strangulation” strategy. By cutting off access to reliable, high-speed satellite internet, the military aims to isolate terrorist cells and dismantle the logistics lifelines that sustain their operations in the region.
“These seizures formed part of broader efforts by troops to disrupt the logistics lifelines sustaining terrorist activities,” the Commander added, affirming that the military remains committed to dismantling the digital and physical networks of the insurgency.
