Troops kill 50 terrorists, top ISWAP commander in North-East
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised over 50 terrorists, including a top ISWAP commander, and arresting multiple collaborators across Borno.
This is contained in an operational report on Wednesday.
Military said the major success followed a precision airstrike around Kirta and Arina Ciki, which killed several terrorist commanders, including Khalifa Umar, a member of the ISWAP Shura Council.
According to the report, the sustained air offensive had forced insurgents to abandon island enclaves and move towards the mainland under pressure.
In a series of targeted raids around Maiduguri, troops arrested three ISWAP logistics suppliers and informants. A deserting soldier was also taken into custody after fleeing with his service weapon to engage in criminal activity.
It said that items recovered from the suspects include a rifle with magazines, a vehicle, 30 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and other materials used in supporting terrorist operations.
”Troops also conducted fighting patrols in Kukawa axis, engaging fleeing terrorist scouts and recovering ammunition,” it added.
The North-East theatre remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s long-running counter-terrorism campaign under Operation Hadin Kai.
Over the years, coordinated air and ground offensives have targeted ISWAP and JAS enclaves across the Lake Chad Basin and Sambisa axis.
Recent operations have increasingly combined intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) with precision airstrikes, aimed at disrupting terrorist command structures, logistics hubs and mobility routes.
Military authorities say the evolving strategy has forced insurgents to abandon fortified island enclaves and disperse into smaller cells, increasing their vulnerability to sustained pursuit operations.
The military said operations would be sustained to further degrade terrorist capabilities and restore normalcy in the region.