Nigeria’s military has recorded significant gains in counterterrorism operations in the North-East, with 438 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters killed over a seven-month period, according to the army.
Okay News reports that the figures were disclosed by Major-General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, North-east Sector 1, during a Christmas luncheon in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria.
Abubakar said the coordinated operations were carried out between May and December as part of sustained efforts to degrade insurgent capabilities across the theatre, which has remained the epicentre of Nigeria’s long-running insurgency.
He said troops also recovered 254 assorted weapons and seized 300 Starlink communication devices, which he described as critical tools used by terrorist groups for coordination and surveillance.
The theatre commander added that 366 civilians were rescued from various terrorist enclaves during the period, highlighting the humanitarian impact of the ongoing military campaign.
According to Abubakar, operational pressure has also led to the surrender of 881 fighters linked to Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad and the Islamic State West Africa Province, along with members of their families.
He noted that the Christmas celebration coincided with the commencement of dry season operations, a phase traditionally associated with intensified military activities due to improved terrain access and mobility.
Abubakar assured Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff of the continued commitment of troops in the Joint Operations Area, pledging to maintain operational tempo to consolidate recent gains and deny terrorists the ability to regroup.
He attributed the successes recorded so far to strategic interventions and sustained support from army headquarters, stressing that coordination among ground forces, intelligence units, and air components has remained crucial.
The latest update follows recent engagements in which troops repelled a coordinated ISWAP attack on a forward operating base in Mairari, Borno State, underscoring ongoing efforts to secure military positions and civilian communities across the region.
