Five ISWAP commanders among over 50 terrorists killed as troops repel major terrorist offensive in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Five notorious Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) field commanders have been confirmed among 50 ISWAP killed as troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) repelled multiple coordinated terrorist attacks across Borno and Yobe States in what military sources describe as the biggest defeat suffered by the insurgent group this year.
The slain commanders, identified as Ari Kolo (Munzir Abbagajiri), Ya Muhammad (from Dosula), Abu Aisha (from Abba Gajiri), Hamzalah (Qaid at Gambo Gege and Faruk Village) and Abu Rijal (from Dosula), were neutralised during simultaneous battles that raged through the early hours of Thursday in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo and Katarko.
Intelligence gathered by Zagazola Makama revealed that the ISWAP units that launched the attacks had moved in from the Cameroon axis, while other elements converged from the Timbuktu Triangle, a notorious terrorist enclave.
The terrorists attacking the troops from all flanks were met with devastating responses from the Air and ground troops who engaged them in a gun battle for more than four hours. In Kararko, Dikwa and Gajibo, the troops responses were decisive as they eliminated most of the terrorists. In Mafa, the terrorists were able to infiltrate into the troops location, burning some vehicles.
Military intelligence described the five as key battlefield tacticians responsible for several previous attacks on military bases, ambushes on patrol convoys and the deployment of drone-assisted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the North East.
They said the elimination of the commanders marked “a decisive degradation of ISWAP’s tactical and command structure in the theatre.”
“These five commanders coordinated the latest failed offensive from different axes, deploying RPGs, anti-aircraft guns, and suicide units in an attempt to overrun troop locations in Dikwa, Mafa and Katarko. But they met their waterloo in a massive combined air and ground counter-assault that left dozens of their fighters dead,” the source said.
According to official confirmation from the Joint Task Force North East (OPHK), a total of 62 terrorists have so far been killed, while clearance and exploitation operations were still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.
Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, the Media Information Officer of OPHK, said the coordinated offensive by the terrorists began around midnight and lasted until about 0400 hours. The troops, backed by precision airstrikes from the Air Component Command, fought gallantly and repelled the attacks, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy.
He said troops recovered 38 AK-47 rifles, seven PKT machine guns, five RPG tubes, two GPMGs, hand grenades and thousands of rounds of assorted ammunition after the engagement.
Zagazola’s assessments show that the neutralised commanders held significant influence within ISWAP’s northern command structure.
Ari Kolo, also known as Munzir Abbagajiri, was one of ISWAP’s most experienced field strategists, previously coordinating ambush operations around the Dikwa–Gajibo axis.
Ya Muhammad and Abu Rijal, both from Dosula, were veteran anti-air (AA) and logistics coordinators known for manning heavy-calibre weapons during major assaults.
Abu Aisha, from Abba Gajiri, was reputed for his role in rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) operations and had led several raids on remote bases in the Lake Chad area. Hamzalah, described as the Qaid (local commander) of Gambo Gege and Faruk villages, oversaw recruitment and coordination of fighters in the northern fringes of Borno.
The deaths would significantly weaken ISWAP’s operational capacity and disrupt upcoming coordinated attacks reportedly being planned in Dikwa, Rann, Kala Balge, and border areas with Cameroon and Chad.
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