General News
TROOPS DESTROY ISWAP DETENTION CAMPS DEEP INSIDE TIMBUKTU TRIANGLE
Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, have recorded a major breakthrough with the capture and destruction of notorious ISWAP terrorist detention facilities deep inside the Timbuktu Triangle in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The operation, carried out over the last two weeks under Operation Desert Sanity V, marks a significant advance into areas previously considered inaccessible to security forces and highlights the increasing effectiveness of sustained, intelligence-driven counter-insurgency operations in the North East.
Military sources say the offensive pressure forced ISWAP fighters to abandon key facilities hidden within the forested Timbuktu Triangle, an area stretching across parts of Borno and Yobe states.
In the process, troops uncovered and destroyed three major terrorist detention camps, believed to have the capacity to hold up to 300 captives.
Preliminary findings revealed that sustained military action directly led to the escape of over 70 detainees previously held by the terrorists.
Several of the escapees later resurfaced in communities including Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau.
One of the freed captives, Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village near Buratai in Biu Local Government Area, said he escaped during a gun battle between ISWAP fighters and advancing troops after being abducted in December 2025.
During the series of encounters, ISWAP suffered heavy losses, with no fewer than 32 fighters neutralised, including two Qaids and three Munzirs, while several others sustained serious injuries.
After thorough clearance operations, the detention facilities were deliberately demolished to prevent any future reoccupation by the terrorists.
The military described the operation as successful and incident-free, attributing it to the professionalism, discipline and combat efficiency of the troops.
Security analysts say the destruction of the camps represents more than a tactical success, as it weakens ISWAP’s internal enforcement structure, disrupts its ransom-collection network, and limits its ability to control local populations.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces say although the security situation across the theatre remains calm but unpredictable, troop morale and fighting efficiency are high.
The military has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorist elements until lasting peace and security are restored in the North East.
