By The Editor
The Nigerian military says more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander, have been killed in an airstrike targeting a suspected terrorist enclave in Borno State.
The operation, according to a report published by The PUNCH on Tuesday, October 13, followed intelligence reports that the fighters were preparing coordinated attacks against military positions in the North-East.
The strike was carried out on October 10 at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali, in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, by the Air Component of the Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai.
Captain Mohammed Goni, the acting military information officer for the North-East Joint Task Force, said preliminary intelligence and battle-damage assessments indicated that more than 40 fighters had been neutralised. He added that the operation targeted a building occupied by the suspected terrorists after aerial surveillance identified movements around their hideouts and logistics facilities.
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The military also reported the destruction of two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles allegedly used by the group for transportation, logistics and offensive operations. It said the fighters were members of ISWAP’s Murabitun unit, which it described as a mobile fighting element involved in patrols and attacks within the area.
In a separate operation in Sokoto State on October 12, troops reportedly killed a suspected Lakurawa militant in Soruro village, Tangaza Local Government Area, following a distress call about armed men in the community. Security personnel recovered an AK-47 rifle, a magazine and ammunition, according to the report.
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The Sokoto incident also involved a fatal attack on a resident identified as Dikko Abubakar. Police spokesperson Ahmed Rufai said armed men had attacked and killed the resident before other members of the group fled.
The latest operations come amid continuing security challenges across parts of northern Nigeria, where military formations are confronting insurgent groups and other armed organisations. Although the reported airstrike represents a significant operational claim by the military, sustained security improvements will also depend on protecting vulnerable communities, disrupting supply networks and preventing attacks on civilians.
The Merit Newspaper notes that the casualty figures in the Borno operation were provided by military authorities and have not been independently established by this publication.
