ISWAP

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have successfully repelled an infiltration attempt by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Cross Kauwa, Borno State, inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers, military authorities said Sunday.

The attack occurred at approximately 10:20 p.m. on Saturday when terrorists attempted to exploit darkness to breach the military location in Kukawa Local Government Area, according to a statement by Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer for the Joint Task Force.

Alert troops detected the hostile movement and responded with coordinated firepower, forcing the terrorists to abandon their mission and retreat in disarray, the military said.

According to intelligence reports, the terrorists had intended to loot cholera medical supplies from the area—a development that lends credence to recent intelligence indicating a cholera outbreak within terrorist enclaves, including reports of executions of affected members by the group.

In a significant development, troops neutralized a terrorist cameraman during the engagement, recovering a Sony camcorder containing sensitive recordings of terrorist activities, operational footage, and propaganda materials.

Preliminary forensic analysis of the last recorded video has revealed that the operation was coordinated by four senior ISWAP commanders alongside three foreign terrorist facilitators, the military said.

The identified foreign nationals include a Palestinian Arab identified as Abu Ishaq, assessed to be ISWAP’s overall trainer, and a Moroccan Arab identified as Abu Thaiba, a medical doctor serving within the terrorist network. A third Arab operative remains unidentified.

The presence of these foreign nationals reinforces intelligence assessments that ISWAP continues to benefit from external support and transnational terrorist linkages, according to the statement.

Following the engagement, troops dominated the area and conducted exploitation operations, recovering the Sony camcorder, several rounds of PKT and 7.62 mm ammunition, terrorist uniforms, and other combat enablers.

Post-engagement satellite imagery analysis revealed terrorists evacuating bodies of their neutralised fighters during withdrawal, which was corroborated by human intelligence sources confirming heavy casualties among the attackers.

Two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds during the firefight and were promptly evacuated by air for advanced medical care. Both remain in stable condition.

The failed infiltration represents another significant setback for ISWAP, capping a costly weekend for the terrorist group following sustained offensive operations across the North East Theatre, the military said.

Operation HADIN KAI remains committed to sustaining offensive operations, protecting vulnerable communities, and dismantling terrorist networks, Captain Goni added.

By Uzair Adam

A soldier has been killed after suspected ISWAP terrorists launched a coordinated attack on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Logomani, Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.

The insurgents also set a police outpost and a primary healthcare centre ablaze during the attack on the community, according to local sources.

The Acting Military Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, said the terrorists attempted to overrun the military base but were repelled after a fierce gun battle.

He explained that although the attackers briefly breached part of the base’s defensive perimeter, troops quickly reorganised and launched a counter-offensive that forced the insurgents to retreat with heavy casualties.

“The troops rapidly regrouped, mounted a determined counter-offensive and decisively expelled the attackers, inflicting significant casualties and forcing the surviving terrorists to flee with varying degrees of gunshot wounds,” Goni said.

He, however, disclosed that one soldier was killed during the encounter, while two gun trucks and some combat equipment were damaged.

Despite the attack, Goni said Operation Hadin Kai has continued to sustain pressure on terrorist groups across the North-East through intelligence-led operations and search-and-rescue missions.

He revealed that on July 7, troops of the 115 Task Force Battalion, while conducting a search-and-rescue operation in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, rescued two abductees from a terrorist hideout.

According to him, troops also recovered N1.2 million suspected to be proceeds of criminal activities, alongside food supplies and other logistics believed to have supported terrorist operations.

The rescued victims, he added, have been evacuated to a secure location where they are receiving medical treatment and psychosocial support.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Vice Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, Paul Namaske, has narrated how military intervention helped victims escape after terrorists attacked the community during NECO examinations.

Namaske spoke in a short video released on Monday after he and several students were rescued by troops of Operation Hadin Kai.

According to him, the attackers abducted teachers and students before taking them into the bush. He said the situation changed after a military aircraft arrived at the area.

“Today, being June 29, the terrorists took us into the bush. When a military aircraft started hovering over us, the insurgents started dispersing. While this was happening, we heard gunshots from the soldiers, so they (the terrorists) began to run while we started escaping. In the process, the soldiers rescued us,” he said.

The vice principal explained that two teachers and more than 20 students were among those abducted during the attack on candidates writing the National Examinations Council examination.

“We are two teachers and about 20-something students. I cannot give the precise number, but at one point during the movement, when they (the insurgents) gathered us in one place, I was able to make a rough estimate. They were about 20 students and two teachers,” he added.

Earlier, the Nigerian Army confirmed the rescue of 10 abducted victims, including students and teachers.

The Acting Military Information Officer of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

He said troops launched a coordinated rescue operation shortly after receiving reports of the attack.

“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully rescued 10 National Examinations Council (NECO) candidates and teachers abducted during an ISWAP attack on Lassa Community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State,” the statement said.

“Immediately upon receipt of the report of the incident, the Theatre Command scrambled both strike and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft from the Air Component of OPHK to support troops mobilised to the area for a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.”

Goni said troops, with support from military aircraft, intercepted the abductors around the Daggu area, which led to a gun battle and the rescue of some victims.

“The troops, with support from the air platforms overhead providing guidance, made contact around Daggu and, after the firefight, the operation has so far resulted in the successful rescue of 10 victims, who were unhurt and are currently receiving the necessary care and support, while efforts remain ongoing to rescue the remaining victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he added.

The military spokesperson also stated that troops recovered seven motorcycles from the fleeing terrorists after overpowering them during the operation.

He, however, confirmed casualties among security personnel.

“Regrettably, during the intense firefight, one gallant soldier of OPHK and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force paid the supreme sacrifice in the exchange of fire with the terrorists,” he said.

By Anwar Usman

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said on Friday that Nigeria’s integrated identity management system led to the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders returning from the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage.

‎The minister made this known at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after President Bola Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission Act 2026 into law, as contained in a statement signed by the President’s aide, Bayo Onanuga.

According to him, the suspects were arrested last Thursday at the Katsina airport after returning from Saudi Arabia and were subsequently handed over to the Department of State Services.

He said the arrests were successful as a result of integrating the National Identity Management Commission database with the Nigeria Immigration Service database and connecting it to Interpol.

The statement in part reads, ”I know, sometime ago, the Senate President was alarmed by how some terrorists went on pilgrimage, wondering how they crossed our borders. We inherited a fractured system.

‎”But I’m happy to tell you that even last week, Thursday, seven of the known commanders of Boko Haram and ISWAP at the point of coming back from Mecca were arrested in Katsina at the airport and were handed over to the DSS.

‎”This is only possible because NIMC’s ID is already connected with the immigration database, and it’s already speaking to even the Interpol 24/7, and we have been able to automate this,” the minister said.

According to the minister, the newly signed NIMC Act would further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture by improving the harmonisation of identity databases and strengthening inter-agency collaboration.

‎He further revealed that the law will enhance the integrity of the National Identity Number system while boosting the country’s capacity to combat identity theft, terrorism, financial crimes and other security threats.

He said that before Tinubu’s government, identity management systems were fragmented, noting that services such as passport issuance and driver’s licence processing were disconnected from the national identity database.

President Tinubu signed the NIMC Act 2026 on Friday. In attendance were the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and other senior government officials.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A joint military air operation involving the Nigerian Armed Forces under Operation HADIN KAI and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has killed 21 suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Borno State.

Military sources confirmed that the strike took place on May 30 in Arege, Kukawa Local Government Area. The target was a suspected terrorist base identified through intelligence reports that indicated insurgent activity in the area.

Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, reported that surveillance and reconnaissance missions first established the presence of ISWAP members before the air raid was authorised.

The operation focused on a camp believed to be used by the group to coordinate and plan attacks across the Lake Chad region. The strike left 21 fighters dead and caused major disruption to the group’s operations in the area.

Military officials explained that the mission forms part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States. The partnership aims to dismantle terrorist networks, destroy hideouts, and reduce the operational strength of insurgents in the North-East.

They further described the attack as intelligence-led and carefully planned to maximise impact on the identified target.

According to the sources, the success of the operation reflects growing collaboration between Nigerian security forces and international partners in the fight against terrorism.

The officials also expressed confidence that continued coordinated strikes would weaken insurgent activity around the Lake Chad Basin, where terrorist groups have continued attempts to regroup and launch attacks on nearby communities.

The United States has confirmed that it carried out fresh military strikes in southern Iran on Monday, hitting Iranian missile installations as well as boats allegedly attempting to lay mines.

The announcement was made in a statement issued by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) through its spokesperson, Capt. Tim Hawkins.

CENTCOM said the operation was conducted in self-defence and aimed at safeguarding American troops from threats linked to Iranian forces.

“US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.

“US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran said on Tuesday that it had shot down a US drone and also fired at a fighter jet alongside another drone that entered Iranian airspace.

The IRGC further stated that Iran retained what it described as a legitimate and definite right to respond to any alleged ceasefire violations by the United States.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have apprehended a woman suspected of collaborating with Boko Haram/ISWAP in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

Security sources quoted by counter-insurgency publication, Zagazola Makama, disclosed that the suspect, identified as Kellu Abba, was arrested on Wednesday morning at a military checkpoint.

“The sources said the suspect, a Kanuri woman residing in Lawanti area of Baga town, was intercepted while allegedly conveying supplies to her son, identified as Modu Mustapha, a suspected terrorist operating within the Dumba general area,” Makama said.

The fifty-year-old suspect was reportedly stopped around eight o’clock in the morning during a security operation in the area.

“According to the sources, items recovered from the suspect included four ready-to-use supplementary food packs, two hijabs and one wristwatch.

“The military said the suspect was currently in the custody of the 196 Amphibious Battalion for further investigation and necessary action.”

The report added that security operatives have continued their operations across the theatre despite the unpredictable nature of the security situation in the region. Troops were also said to be maintaining strong morale and operational effectiveness.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Sector 2, have neutralised no fewer than 24 terrorists following a fierce encounter during an attack on Kukareta area.

The military disclosed that the engagement followed a “determined terrorist attack on Kukareta location” in the early hours of Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the Task Force, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the attack began shortly after midnight and continued until about 03:00 hours. He noted that troops responded immediately with what he described as a coordinated counter-operation that forced the attackers into retreat.

The statement read: the troops “executed a deliberate offensive-defensive action, effectively containing the assault and forcing the terrorists into a disorderly withdrawal.”

It added that the troops inflicted heavy losses on the attackers, confirming that “24 terrorists neutralised so far.”

Following the encounter, troops recovered a large stockpile of weapons and ammunition during ongoing clearance operations. The items include “18 AK-47 rifles, 3 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), 2 PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, 3 RPG tubes, 2 mortar tubes, 4 hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines, and large quantities of belted 7.62mm ammunition for PKT systems.”

The statement also confirmed that two soldiers sustained injuries during the battle and have since received medical attention. It further disclosed that an armoured tank deployed for reinforcement suffered damage after its tyres were destroyed during the confrontation.

It stated that troops have continued to track the withdrawal routes of the fleeing terrorists, where blood trails and abandoned medical supplies were discovered.

The military described the operation as a demonstration of combat strength and preparedness, adding that it reflects the troops’ capacity to deny terrorist groups freedom of movement.

It further assured that operations will continue with sustained pressure aimed at clearing remaining terrorist elements within the theatre of operations.

The number of ISWAP fighters killed during a failed attempt to overrun a military position in Malam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, has increased to 75. Security analysts have described the outcome as one of the most significant recent setbacks for the group.

According to Zagazola Makama, a security expert, initial figures had placed the death toll at 61 after troops of Operation Hadin Kai, with support from the Nigerian Air Force, responded to the attack. Fresh battlefield reviews and follow-up clearance operations now show that at least 75 insurgents were eliminated. Several others are believed to have fled with serious injuries.

The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday when ISWAP fighters advanced on foot toward the 68 Battalion base. They reportedly used armed drones in a bid to break through the defence. The movement, which came from the Duguri axis toward the Bravo Company position, was quickly identified and repelled.

Military sources linked the success of the defence to strong coordination between ground forces and air support. They noted that this reflects improved joint operations in the North-East counter-insurgency campaign.

Air components carried out four targeted strikes on routes used by the attackers to withdraw. These strikes disrupted their movement and reduced their fighting strength. Sustained aerial pressure forced the fighters into a disorganised retreat toward the Arege axis.

Additional air support from the Niger Republic targeted fleeing insurgents. Although a full assessment is still ongoing, security sources said the joint effort contributed to the higher casualty figure.

Troops also recovered a significant quantity of weapons and ammunition from the scene, a development expected to further limit the group’s activities around the Lake Chad area.

On the side of the military, four soldiers suffered minor injuries and have received treatment.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters have killed at least nine Nigerian soldiers and the Chief Imam of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

Security sources said the attack took place on Tuesday night shortly after residents ended their Ramadan fast.

One source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said the insurgents stormed the town in large numbers with heavy weapons. According to the source, the attackers confronted troops stationed in the area and overpowered them during the assault.

Another security source said the insurgents also moved into the residential parts of Ngoshe. The source said the town’s Chief Imam was killed during the raid. The attackers also abducted more than 100 women and children. Several people sustained injuries.

‘As I am speaking to you now, the entire people of Ngoshe have fled and nobody is left in the community. Most of us have taken refuge in Pulka,’ the source said.

The source further alleged that someone within the community might have assisted the attackers.

‘They came prepared and entered Ngoshe town with the help of an insider, killing 9 soldiers, slaughtering the mosque’s Chief Imam, and abducting over 100 women and children,’ he added.

Residents said the insurgents set fire to many houses and structures in the town before leaving the area. The incident forced surviving residents to escape to nearby communities for safety.

Attempts to reach the spokesperson of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Colonel Sani Uba, for comment were not successful as of the time this report was filed.

Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the attack.