Troops kill 50 terrorists, ISWAP commander in North-East

The troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intensified operations in the North-East, neutralising more than 50 terrorists, including a top ISWAP commander, and arresting multiple collaborators in Borno State.

This is contained in an operational report released on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

The military said the major success followed a precision airstrike around Kirta and Arina Ciki, which killed several terrorist commanders, including Khalifa Umar, a member of the ISWAP Shura Council.

It stated that the sustained air offensive had forced insurgents to abandon island enclaves and move towards the mainland under pressure.

The military disclosed that troops apprehended three suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers and informants, as well as a deserter soldier who absconded with his weapon and was later linked to criminal activities, in separate operations within Maiduguri and surrounding areas.

The military listed items recovered from the suspects to include a rifle with magazines, a vehicle, 30 litres of petrol, and other materials used in supporting terrorist operations.

“Troops also conducted fighting patrols in Kukawa axis, engaging fleeing terrorist scouts and recovering ammunition,” it added.

The North-East theatre remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s long-running counter-terrorism campaign under Operation Hadin Kai.

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Over the years, coordinated air and ground offensives have targeted ISWAP and JAS enclaves across the Lake Chad Basin and Sambisa axis.

Recent operations have increasingly combined intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) with precision airstrikes, aimed at disrupting terrorist command structures, logistics hubs and mobility routes.

The military stated that the evolving strategy has forced insurgents to abandon fortified island enclaves and disperse into smaller cells, increasing their vulnerability to sustained pursuit operations.

It added that operations would be sustained to further degrade terrorist capabilities and restore normalcy in the region.