ISWAP

By Muhammad Abubakar 

The reported emergence of Ibn Mohammed bin Shakau, the biological son of late Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, within the ranks of the insurgent group has raised fresh concerns about the possible continuation of his father’s ideological and militant networks.

Security and conflict analyst Zagazola Makama reported that Ibn Mohammed has reportedly begun taking steps into the Boko Haram insurgency, potentially following the path of his father, one of the most notorious figures associated with the group’s violent campaign in Nigeria’s North-East.

The report, however, does not independently establish the extent of Ibn Mohammed’s involvement or his current position within the insurgent organisation.

Abubakar Shekau became the leader of Boko Haram following the death of the group’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf, in 2009. Under his leadership, the insurgency intensified, with Boko Haram carrying out attacks against communities, security forces, government institutions and civilian targets across north-eastern Nigeria and parts of the wider Lake Chad region.

Shekau became particularly known for his uncompromising leadership style and frequent propaganda videos in which he issued threats, claimed responsibility for attacks and denounced governments and security forces.

His leadership was also marked by growing internal divisions within the insurgency. In 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, leading to the emergence of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as a major rival faction.

Shekau was killed in 2021 after a confrontation with ISWAP fighters in the Lake Chad region. His death significantly altered the balance of power among insurgent factions and further fragmented the militant landscape.

The reported involvement of his son could therefore carry symbolic significance for Boko Haram remnants and raises questions about whether family ties and the legacy of former commanders could contribute to the recruitment and mobilisation of a new generation of insurgents.

However, the significance of the development remains unclear, and further independent confirmation would be required to establish Ibn Mohammed’s role, influence and operational involvement within the group.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Air operations by Nigerian military forces have reportedly killed four Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and severely injured a senior commander in the Lake Chad area.

The operations were carried out under Operation HADIN KAI, according to intelligence sources cited by counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama.

One of the commanders injured in the attacks was identified as Ba Ari Hisbah, a senior figure in ISWAP’s police wing in the Lake Chad region.

Field assessments indicated that Hisbah suffered serious injuries to both legs after an airstrike near Arege on August 5.

The attack formed part of military aerial operations aimed at disrupting terrorist fighters and their logistics networks around the Lake Chad basin.

Sources said the strikes disrupted the activities and movements of the insurgents and forced some surviving fighters to leave the area.

In a separate air operation on Friday, troops reportedly killed Ba Usman Maidhar­aib, a 55-year-old ISWAP member who was described as one of the group’s longest-serving fishing tax collectors in the Lake Chad area.

Maidhar­aib was reportedly travelling with three other fighters on two motorcycles when the aircraft struck.

The intelligence report said the four fighters died in the attack, while both motorcycles were destroyed.

The death of Maidhar­aib is considered significant because of the role played by ISWAP’s fishing tax collectors in raising funds for the group across the Lake Chad region.

For several years, ISWAP has imposed illegal taxes, levies and other charges on fishing and other economic activities in communities around the Lake Chad islands.

According to the sources, the loss of a key revenue collector and disruption of movement routes could weaken the group’s ability to raise funds and maintain its operations.

Military sources said intelligence surveillance detected the movements of the fighters before the airstrikes were conducted.

They added that Operation HADIN KAI would sustain aerial interdiction operations alongside ground forces to restrict terrorist movements and target their logistics, command and control networks.

The Lake Chad area remains one of the major operational theatres in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism campaign, as security forces continue efforts to weaken ISWAP formations and their support networks across land and waterways.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigerian Army has declared 38 senior commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) wanted as part of efforts to intensify operations against the terrorist group in the North-East.

The declaration followed intelligence gathered during recent military operations in the Lake Chad region of Borno State. According to the Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI, troops recovered a camcorder and other intelligence materials during the offensive.

The military said forensic examination of the recovered devices helped security operatives identify several key ISWAP leaders and trace their locations within the Mangari–Metele–Dogon Chukun axis in Abadam and Kukawa Local Government Areas of Borno State.

Among those on the wanted list is Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, who the army identified as the Wali (governor) of ISWAP and one of the group’s most wanted leaders in the Lake Chad Basin.

The list also includes Muhammad Jidda, also known as “The One-Handed Man,” who was identified as the group’s deputy leader and Amirul Jaish. Another suspect is Hamad Abu Hanifa, whom the military identified as ISWAP’s Amirul-Fiya.

Operation HADIN KAI announced that a financial reward would be offered to anyone who provides credible information that leads to the arrest of Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa.

The military assured members of the public that all information received would be handled with strict confidentiality. It also said the identities of informants would be protected.

The army appealed to residents to support ongoing counter-insurgency operations by supplying timely and credible intelligence through established security channels or by calling 07084988859.

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.