Nigerian troops seize over 400 Starlink devices from terrorists in the North-East

Nigerian military troops have intercepted and seized over 400 Starlink satellite internet terminals that were reportedly used by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists to coordinate their operations across the North-East conflict zone.

The Commander of Sector 2, Operation HADIN KAI, Brigadier-General Beyidi Martins, disclosed this while briefing defence correspondents on ongoing intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling terrorist logistics and communication networks in the region.

The devices linked to Elon Musk’s SpaceX-owned Starlink satellite service were recovered during sustained operations across Sambisa Forest, the Timbuktu Triangle, and other terrorist enclaves in the North-East. Martins said the seizures form part of broader efforts to cut off the logistics lifelines sustaining terrorist activities in the sector.

This discovery is important because it shows that insurgent groups in northeastern Nigeria are using regular satellite internet to communicate. This technology helps them stay connected in remote areas where normal internet networks are unavailable or intentionally avoided.

Starlink, with its satellites orbiting close to Earth, offers fast internet almost anywhere. While this is helpful for people in areas with poor internet access, it seems armed groups are also using it to avoid detection while communicating effectively.

Evolving conflict: The central role of technologies like Starlink

The seizure is the latest sign that the nature of the insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East continues to evolve in ways that demand a more technologically sophisticated response from the military.

As Technext previously reported, ISWAP began deploying weaponised drones in 2025, including a March 24 attack on a Nigerian military forward operating base in Borno State, the first time the group had used drones offensively rather than for surveillance.

The addition of Starlink terminals to their arsenal suggests the groups are actively investing in commercial technology to sustain command and coordination across dispersed cells.

Nigerian Soldiers

Since 2009, the conflict has claimed just under 53,000 civilian lives in targeted political violence, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Over two million people have been displaced, and more than seven million remain in need of humanitarian assistance across the Lake Chad Basin, which now spans Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.

Similar read: President Tinubu’s aide claims terrorists use Starlink to evade Nigerian intelligence agencies

For the Nigerian military, dismantling the communication and logistics networks that keep these groups operational has become as strategically important as direct combat engagements. Without the ability to coordinate, receive supplies, and share intelligence, the operational capacity of both Boko Haram and ISWAP becomes significantly reduced.

Intercepting over 400 Starlink terminals represents a significant tactical victory. However, achieving a sustained strategic advantage hinges on both disrupting supply chains and preventing future access to commercial satellite technology by armed groups in Nigeria’s remote conflict zones.