After a sustained two-week offensive, troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) under Operation Desert Sanity V have uncovered and destroyed three major terrorist detention facilities concealed within the Timbuktu triangle forest across Borno and Yobe states.
Spokesperson for the OPHK, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, said in a statement that preliminary assessments indicated that the facilities had the capacity to hold up to 300 detainees, highlighting their strategic importance to ISWAP terrorists’ operational and coercive framework.
Uba said further findings indicated that the sustained offensive by troops during the period directly led to the escape of over 70 captives previously held by the terrorists.
He said, “This was corroborated by many of the escaped captives who later resurfaced in several villages like Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau, among others.
“One of the escapees,Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village near Buratai in Biu LGA who was abducted on 22 December 2025, disclosed that he escaped during the gun duel between the terrorists and advancing troops in the Timbuktu Triangle.”
The Media Information Officer of OPHK said that during those series of encounters in the Timbuktu Triangle, ISWAP suffered significant combat losses, with no fewer than 32 fighters neutralised, including two Qaids and three Munzirs, while several others sustained serious injuries.
“Following thorough clearance of the area, the three detention facilities were deliberately demolished, permanently denying ISWAP the ability to reuse or reoccupy the site. The operation was conducted successfully and without incident, reflecting the resilience, professionalism, discipline and combat effectiveness of the troops of OPHK.
“The destruction of the detention camp marks more than a tactical victory. It degrades ISWAP’s internal enforcement mechanisms, disrupts the terrorists’ ability to detain and collect ransom from civilians, and further constricts their freedom of action,” he said.
According to Uba, the escape of a large number of detainees not only deprives the terrorists of a key tool of funding but also undermines their control over the local population while potentially providing valuable intelligence and testimonies that can aid ongoing operations.
He said the feat marked a significant advance into areas long considered beyond the reach of security forces and underscored the growing effectiveness and sustainability of ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
Uba said the exposure and destruction of the detention facilities clearly demonstrated that troops have advanced well into the inner sanctuaries of ISWAP terrorists, denying the group both physical space and psychological advantage, and that they have been forced to abandon critical facilities deep within their strongholds.
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