By Sumaila Ogbaje
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intensified operations in the North-East,
neutralising more than 50 terrorists, including a top ISWAP commander, and
arresting multiple collaborators across Borno.
This is contained in an operational report made available 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.
The report said that the sustained air offensive had forced insurgents to abandon
island enclaves and move towards the mainland under pressure.
The report also said that troops apprehended three suspected ISWAP logistics
suppliers and informants, as well as a deserter soldier who absconded with his
weapon and was later linked to criminal activities, in separate operations within
Maiduguri and surrounding areas.
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 latest wave of operations reflects continued efforts to degrade leadership
elements, cut supply chains and deny terrorists freedom of movement across the
state and adjoining border corridors according to the report.
