The Nigerian Military under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) and the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, have reportedly neutralised 21 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, fighters in Borno State in a joint air operation.

The airstrike was executed on May 30 at a terrorist enclave in Arege, Kukawa Local Government Area based on intelligence reports that the location was being used by insurgents.

Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, quoting military sources, said the operation was conducted following intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, which confirmed presence of ISWAP members in the area.

The strike was aimed at a camp allegedly used by the terrorists to plan and coordinate attacks across the Lake Chad region, the sources said.

The operation reportedly killed 21 insurgents and seriously disrupted the group’s activities in the area.

Military sources said the mission is part of continued security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States to dismantle terrorist networks, destroy insurgent hideouts and curtail their operational capacity in the North-East.

The operation was intelligence-driven and carefully planned to achieve maximum impact against the targeted terrorists, they described.

The sources also said the success of the strike underscores the growing cooperation between Nigerian security forces and international partners in the war on terrorism.

They were hopeful the operation would further degrade insurgent activities around the Lake Chad Basin, where terrorist groups have continued efforts to regroup and launch attacks on vulnerable communities.

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Following a terrorist attack on the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area, Yobe State, in the early hours of May 8, 2026, the Nigeria Police offered prayers for the seventeen police officers who lost their lives.

According to reports, a number of brave Nigerian Army soldiers also sacrificed the ultimate sacrifice while valiantly fending off the assault.

Inspector-General of Police IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu stated during the prayers that their sacrifice is the pinnacle of national duty and patriotism.

In order to combat terrorism and violent extremism on a daily basis, the Nigeria Police Force, in particular the Police Mobile Force, maintains hundreds of personnel throughout the Northeast region in cooperative operations with the Armed Forces and other security agencies, according to Disu.

“Every Nigerian family can sleep at night with a measure of safety and peace because our officers continue to put their lives on the line, often under extremely difficult conditions,” he stated.

“We want every Nigerian to feel and know in their hearts that there are men and women in uniform who wake up every morning with one purpose: to serve, to protect, and to give everything if called upon,” he stated.

“Every fallen officer has a family left behind, a future cut short, and a society that owes them an incalculable debt of gratitude. We sincerely promise that their deaths will not be in vain and that their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

“The Nigeria Police Force is unwavering.” We will keep showing up, staying strong, and doing everything in our power to serve our wonderful country.

“The Nigeria Police Force supports the families of our departed heroes during this difficult time. We are dedicated to accompanying you on this challenging journey, and we share your loss.

“May God continue to protect all security personnel defending our country, and may the souls of our departed officers rest in perfect peace.”

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Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has warned the United States (US) against intervening in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, saying the move may worsen the security crisis in the country rather than solve it.

Gumi said in a Facebook post on Monday that Nigeria must tread carefully in order not to sacrifice its sovereignty on the altar of seeking foreign assistance to combat banditry, Boko Haram insurgency and other forms of insecurity.

He said Nigeria’s sovereignty was “a red line” and added that the country’s military had the capacity to deal with the security challenges if its operations were guided by fairness, transparency and proper rules of engagement.

The cleric said the presence of foreign military, including that of the United States, could turn Nigeria into the new battleground for international terror networks.

He cautioned that such intervention could bring foreign extremist groups into the country, exposing Nigerians to a larger scale of violence.

The military can manage the situation if there are no prejudices and deception in the rules of engagement for the use of force and finances, Gumi said.

“The USA’s involvement will only attract international terror groups to the ‘new arena’ and subject Nigeria to an unnecessary rise in violence.”

The cleric also dismissed the idea that the Nigerian military had been hampered in confronting bandits and Boko Haram insurgents due to the amnesty initiatives.

He described the allegation as false and malicious, saying such claims were being used to mislead the public on the nature of the country’s security problems.

For years, Gumi has advocated dialogue and non-kinetic ways of dealing with armed groups, a position that has repeatedly attracted criticism from Nigerians who think the government should respond more forcefully with the military.

He also said an over-reliance on military force had failed to stamp out terrorism and banditry in the country.

He said Boko Haram was still active almost 17 years after the extra-judicial killing of its founder, Mohammed Yusuf, in 2009.

Gumi attributed the ongoing violence to what he called excesses by security forces, including alleged attacks on innocent civilians during military operations.

He said the fight against terrorism must be carried out without injustice, prejudice and financial fraud, warning that military action alone will not achieve lasting peace if the root causes of insecurity are ignored.

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More than 20 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) members were killed in a new coordinated air operation in the northeast by Nigerian troops working with the US Africa Command, according to the Defense Headquarters (DHQ).

According to the military, intelligence information on the movement and consolidation of terrorist elements in the area prompted the strikes in the general Metele area.

Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, the Director of Defense Information, made this announcement in a statement on Monday.

The statement said that the operation was a component of continuous operations to destroy terrorist networks and deny safe havens to rebels in Nigeria.

It clarified that ISIS/ISWAP members who were seen regrouping in the region prior to the attack were the focus of the coordinated airstrikes.

The DHQ described the operation as a significant victory in the counter-insurgency operations, claiming that it eliminated over 20 terrorists.

It further stated that ongoing operations to weaken terrorist capabilities throughout the Northeast will be carried out by the Armed Forces of Nigeria in collaboration with US Africa Command.

The military added that the ongoing operations are intended to stop terrorist movements, remove combatants from the battlefield, and stop them from regrouping.

Maj.-Gen. Uba emphasized the military’s dedication to protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while reiterating that there would be no safe harbor for terrorists anywhere in the nation.

The development coincides with Nigeria and the United States’ ongoing counterterrorism collaboration in the wake of recent reports of a combined operation that killed a senior ISIS-affiliated individual in the area.

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Troops from the Nigerian Army’s Operation Hadin Kai stopped an attack on Benisheikh in Borno State by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, stopping the town from being overrun.

Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama shared the news on his X account.

According to security sources, the event took place around 11:15 p.m. on April 14, 2026.

According to the sources, troops from the Headquarters 29 Task Force Brigade were attacked but were able to fight off the insurgents, who then had to run away.

No soldiers were killed in the fight, but three were hurt in the gunfire.

The wounded soldiers were taken to the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital for care.

The military said they couldn’t confirm how many attackers had died right away, but they were still doing follow-up operations to find fighters who had fled and assess the damage.

Sources also said that the overall security situation in the area is still calm but hard to predict.

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During a nocturnal gunfight in the Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State, troops of Operation Hadin Kai prevented a planned attack by suspected ISWAP/JAS terrorists.

As part of ongoing “en masse ambush” operational directions, the rebels launched a two-pronged assault on forces positioned in an ambush at Ajilari Cross on March 28, 2026, at around 1:40 am, according to security sources cited in a post by security analyst Zagazola Makama.

Makama was informed by the sources that the terrorists made a valiant attempt to overwhelm the troops’ position.

According to one of the sources, “during the encounter, the terrorists attacked from two directions in a coordinated manner, but troops held their ground and engaged them effectively.”

He said that two military platforms were set on fire by the rebels during the gunfight.

The source further revealed that members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Crack Squad personnel, and a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) from the Battalion Headquarters, under the command of the Commanding Officer, swiftly mobilized to the scene.

He declared, “The reinforcement team arrived on time, engaged the terrorists, and successfully repelled the attack.”

He claims that in order to trace escaping militants and stop them from reorganizing, troops initiated an exploitation operation outside the contact area after the attack was defeated.

According to the source, the military is still dedicated to conducting persistent offensive and defensive operations with the goal of undermining terrorist capabilities in the Northeast theater.

Additionally, he commended the cooperation between local support organizations and troops, pointing out that it keeps enhancing operational efficacy.

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38 ISWAP terrorists have been killed by troops from the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI, OPHK.

The operation was conducted on Saturday morning, according to a statement sent by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the Joint Task Force’s media information officer.

Before the military defeated them, the terrorists attacked the FOB Mandaragirau in Sector 2, Borno State.

The statement claimed that the military used well-planned ambushes and a calculated offensive-defensive strategy to confront the terrorists and drive them into a chaotic retreat.

In order to improve targeted kinetic responses against the assault, the troops were reportedly given close air support by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI.

Further significant losses were caused by exploitation along the terrorists’ escape routes.

Eight dead have been found within the immediate engagement area, and human information from locals has confirmed that over thirty more terrorists’ bodies and weapons were scattered along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis into the Timbuktu Triangle, resulting in the neutralization of about 38 terrorists.

Blood trails and abandoned equipment served as proof of this. While reporting no casualties, troops also found seven AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, four RPG bombs, and various ammo. One MRAP was struck by RPG fire, but the injured were quickly treated.

The statement went on, “The extent of enemy losses has sparked widespread celebration among local communities and highlights the sustained dominance of OPHK troops in denying terrorists freedom of action.”

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Following the successful repulsion of an attempted attack on a military camp in Banki, Bama Local Government Area, Borno, by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, with assistance from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) allegedly withdrew in confusion on Friday.

Zagazola Makama, a security and counterinsurgency specialist in the Lake Chad region, revealed this in a post on X.

Makama claims that intelligence sources revealed that the rebels began the assault early on Friday morning, moving forward in huge numbers in an effort to overtake the military formation.

He said that the forces successfully repelled the attack and stopped the rebels from entering the base by engaging the terrorists in a hard gunfight right away.

The reports claim that the Nigerian Air Force scrambled an aircraft to offer aerial support to the ground soldiers during the ongoing gunfight.

According to one of the reports, “the terrorists took to their heels upon seeing the approaching aircraft and were seen scampering in disarray into nearby bushes to escape the superior firepower of the troops and the air component.”

The insurgents were forced to abandon the operation after the intended attack was successfully thwarted, according to the sources.

Since security personnel have started assessment and clearance operations in the region, there have been no immediate reports of injuries.

In the continuing counter-insurgency effort in Borno, Banki, a border town in Bama LGA close to Cameroon, continues to be a crucial frontline area.

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According to a source, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Jere Local Council, Borno State, is close to the Tuba hamlet, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have put up new hideouts.

The Guardian was informed by local sources and Jere farmers that over 200 motorcycles were seen in a jihadist stronghold in northern Borno State.

The NNPCL exploration site, as well as nearby communities including Dusuman, Ngom, Jabarman, Gongulong Lawanti, Koshebe, and the outskirts of Muna Garage, 20 kilometers east of Maiduguri, have been targeted by terrorists, according to information obtained by The Guardian.

Other targets include the Maiduguri livestock market, Madinatu, and commuters and drivers using the Maiduguri-Monguno and Mafa routes.

According to reports, the two terror groups send small attacking detachments on motorcycles towards the Ngom community along the Maiduguri-Dikwa road. They then cross over to the 40km Maiduguri Mafa road and eventually arrive at Konduga Local Council on the southern edge of Sambisa Forest, which is a major insurgent hideout in the northeast.

A 65-year-old hunter called Konto Aliyu expressed concern about the security risks posed by the terrorists’ presence in the council areas, in addition to building a castle and escape routes.

He requested Maj-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), to demolish the hideouts in Jere in order to impair their ability to assault Army posts and the nearby people.

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An undisclosed number of Nigerian troops and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force have been slain following a violent assault by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) jihadists on a military facility in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to military sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, the incident happened on Thursday after terrorists overran the military formation. They opened fire, killing a large number of security troops as well as allied local forces.

“I don’t have the exact number yet, but there was an attack, many soldiers were killed,” a source told SaharaReporters on Saturday.

The source claims that during the raid, the assailants stole an unknown amount of ammunition and set fire to multiple military vehicles, including armored tanks.

The extremist group has subsequently claimed credit for the operation, publishing a statement accompanied by a video showing fighters firing towards the military station.

The most recent assault comes after a horrific ambush earlier this week that killed seven military members, including a recently promoted Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed. On Monday, January 26, 2026, while he was bringing troops from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area, their convoy was attacked.

According to military reports, during the ambush, the attackers used explosives and heavy firepower. A number of soldiers are still unaccounted for, despite the fact that some dead have been found. Several soldiers are said to have suffered severe injuries.

Since Boko Haram commander Abubakar Shekau’s death, security analysts have observed that ISWAP has been bolstering its presence in the Lake Chad area. The gang has reportedly boosted its ranks following the defection of hundreds of militants previously loyal to Shekau.

Militant groups continue to launch high-impact strikes in the Northeast, frequently causing significant casualties that officials are accused of downplaying, despite the Nigerian Army’s repeated claims that the insurgency has been largely contained.

Over 100,000 people have died as a result of the battle, which has lasted for more than ten years, and millions have been displaced from their homes, especially in the states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe.

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