Abuja, June 3, 2026 – Military operations under Operation Hadin Kai have recorded significant gains in the North-East, with troops eliminating more than 50 terrorists, including a senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, and arresting several suspected collaborators across Borno State.
An operational update made available on Wednesday indicated that the breakthroughs followed coordinated air and ground assaults targeting terrorist positions.
According to the report, a precision airstrike conducted around Kirta and Arina Ciki resulted in the death of multiple insurgent leaders, among them Khalifa Umar, said to be a member of the ISWAP Shura Council.
The military noted that continued aerial bombardments have compelled insurgents to abandon island hideouts and relocate toward mainland areas due to sustained pressure.
It added that three suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers and informants were arrested in separate operations within Maiduguri and surrounding communities. A soldier who allegedly deserted his post with a service weapon was also apprehended and linked to criminal activities.
Recovered items from the suspects included a firearm with magazines, a vehicle, about 30 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and other materials believed to support terrorist operations.
Troops also carried out fighting patrols along the Kukawa axis, where they engaged fleeing terrorist scouts and recovered ammunition.
The North-East remains the central theatre of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency campaign under Operation Hadin Kai, where sustained joint air and ground operations continue against ISWAP and Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) elements across the Lake Chad Basin and Sambisa axis.
Military authorities say the integration of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with precision airstrikes has increasingly disrupted terrorist command structures, logistics networks, and movement corridors.
They added that the pressure from ongoing operations has forced insurgents to break into smaller, less coordinated cells, making them more vulnerable to targeted engagements.
Officials say the latest operations form part of broader efforts to weaken terrorist leadership, dismantle supply chains, and restrict their movement across affected regions.
The military reaffirmed that operations will continue in order to further degrade terrorist capabilities and restore lasting peace in the region.