Nigerian Army Hunts Down Jihadist Chiefs, Kills 84 in Savage Counter-Offensive

Nigerian military has unleashed a relentless offensive that has shattered the command structures of both Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), eliminating over 80 fighters and a roster of high-value commanders in a series of coordinated strikes.

Military sources confirmed on Friday that the surge in operations, dubbed "Operation Hadin Kai," has tightened a noose around the remnants of the terrorist factions, pushing deep into their fortified enclaves across the rugged Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains.

“We are systematically dismantling the operational backbone of the insurgency,” stated Maj.-Gen. Abulsalam Abubakar, the Theatre Commander for the North-East. In a press briefing, he detailed a campaign of “targeted operations” that have left terrorist leadership in disarray.

Among the most significant kills was Modu Kundiri, a top ISWAP commander and the Qa’id of the Pulka axis, who was neutralized during a fierce ground assault along the strategic Madagali Gwoza corridor.

Military analysts note that his death has created a critical power vacuum, triggering leadership uncertainty within the militant ranks.

The air and ground blitz did not stop there. In the Kukawa area, troops cornered and killed Malam Bako Gorgore (alias Abou Mustapha), a senior member of ISWAP’s Shura Council who was responsible for operational planning and ideological indoctrination.

Simultaneously, precision airstrikes in the Yuwe axis of Sambisa Forest rained down on a gathering of commanders, wiping out key figures including those identified only as Saddam, Saleh Garin Kago, and Hussaini Ubaida.

In a testament to the intensity of the campaign, the military also repelled what it described as a “major assault” on a forward operating base in Malam Fatori, near the border with Niger.

Facing a sophisticated attack that included armed drones, troops responded with overwhelming firepower.

“The attackers were drawn largely from ISWAP elements,” Abubakar said.

“In the ensuing firefight, 84 terrorists were neutralized, including senior commanders.”

The military’s air component has been instrumental, destroying command centers and logistics hubs while intercepting fleeing fighters along escape routes.

In the Ngoshe Pulka corridor alone, rapid-response airstrikes reportedly eliminated more than 50 insurgents following a failed assault.

Amidst the external pressure, officials revealed that internal factional violence is further decimating the groups.

Reports from the theater indicate that senior members have been killed in internal purges and clashes, including Abu Kasim, who was killed by an IED planted by rival elements.

Despite recent attacks by the insurgents aimed at regaining momentum, the military maintains that the sustained pressure is shifting the tide of the 16-year-old conflict.

By denying terrorists freedom of movement and targeting their leadership, troops are extending their reach deeper into the Timbuktu Triangle and the Lake Chad shores.

“While the situation remains fluid,” Abubakar concluded, “the sustained targeting of insurgent leadership is significantly reducing their operational capacity.”