Nigerian military clears Nigerien camel herder wrongly accused of ISIS ties

The Nigerian military has officially cleared a Nigerien camel herder, Aboubakar Zein-Nur, who was mistakenly identified by a pro-military blog as a Moroccan member of the Islamic State (ISIS). Comprehensive intelligence assessments and subsequent investigations have found no evidence connecting Zein-Nur to any known terrorist organization.

Mohammed Goni, the acting spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, stated that Zein-Nur was detained during military operations but has now been released after thorough vetting. "Comprehensive intelligence assessments and other investigative processes did not establish that the individual has any affiliation to any known terrorist group," Goni confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday.

This clarification comes nine days after a platform called Zagazola Makama, known for publishing security reports often based on unnamed sources, reported the arrest of a suspect believed to be of Moroccan origin with suspected ISIS ties. The initial report, published on July 14, was widely republished by various Nigerian media outlets. It claimed the suspect was apprehended during operations following an attempted ISWAP attack and was identified through forensic analysis of footage from a camcorder allegedly belonging to a killed ISWAP cameraman.

The military's statement presents a different account, confirming the interception of an individual during follow-up operations after an attack. However, they emphasized that the detention was standard procedure, as terrorist groups frequently use border corridors for movement. The military identified Zein-Nur as a resident of Shattu Anguba Village in Niger, who engages in camel rearing. The initial report had described the arrest as a "major intelligence breakthrough" potentially exposing international terrorist connections.

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Comprehensive intelligence assessments and other investigative processes did not establish that the individual has any affiliation to any known terrorist group.