Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intensified operations in the Northeast.
They killed over 50 terrorists, including a top ISWAP commander, and arrested multiple collaborators across Borno State.
This was contained in an operational report released in Abuja yesterday.
The 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 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) Shura Council.
The report said the sustained air offensive had forced insurgents to abandon island enclaves and move towards the mainland under pressure.
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.
Items recovered from the suspects included a rifle with magazines, a vehicle, 30 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and other materials allegedly used to support terrorist operations.
“Troops also conducted fighting patrols along the Kukawa axis, engaging fleeing terrorist scouts and recovering ammunition,” the report added.
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 said the evolving strategy has forced insurgents to abandon fortified island enclaves and disperse into smaller cells, making them more vulnerable to sustained pursuit operations.
The latest operations, according to the military, are part of ongoing efforts to degrade terrorist leadership, cut supply chains and deny insurgents freedom of movement across Borno State and adjoining border corridors.
