By John Umeh
No fewer than 70 captives have regained their freedom after Nigerian troops uncovered and demolished key detention facilities operated by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during a sustained military offensive in the North-East.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), under Operation Desert Sanity V, destroyed three major terrorist detention camps concealed within the Timbuktu Triangle forest, spanning parts of Borno and Yobe states, after a two-week intelligence-driven operation.
In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesperson for OPHK, Lt-Col. Sani Uba, said preliminary assessments showed that the camps had the capacity to hold up to 300 detainees, underscoring their strategic importance to ISWAP’s operations.
He said the prolonged pressure mounted by troops during the offensive directly resulted in the escape of over 70 captives who had been held by the terrorists.
“This was corroborated by several escapees who later emerged in communities such as Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau,” Uba said.
He added that one of the freed captives, Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village near Buratai in Biu Local Government Area, revealed that he escaped during a gun battle between ISWAP fighters and advancing troops. Ba Jidda was abducted on December 22, 2025, according to the military.
Lt-Col. Uba said the encounters within the Timbuktu Triangle dealt heavy blows to ISWAP, with at least 32 terrorists neutralised, including two Qaids and three Munzirs, while several others sustained serious injuries.
Following the successful clearance of the area, the military deliberately demolished the detention facilities to prevent the terrorists from reoccupying or reusing them.
“The destruction of these camps goes beyond a tactical victory,” Uba said. “It degrades ISWAP’s internal enforcement structure, disrupts its ability to detain civilians and collect ransom, and significantly restricts its freedom of action.”
He noted that the escape of a large number of detainees not only weakens the terrorists’ funding sources but also erodes their control over local populations, while potentially providing valuable intelligence to aid ongoing counter-insurgency operations.
According to him, the operation represents a major advance into areas previously considered ISWAP strongholds, demonstrating the growing effectiveness, resilience and combat capability of troops engaged in the fight against terrorism in the North-East.
