Troops thwart ISWAP infiltration

Abdullateef Fowewe

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai under the Joint Task Force (North East) repelled a terrorist infiltration attempt by ISWAP fighters at Bitta in Sector 1, dealing another major blow to the insurgents.

In a statement obtained Saturday, the Nigerian Army detailed how vigilant troops anticipated and crushed the attack.

“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have once again demonstrated another superior combat readiness and tactical dominance by successfully thwarted a terrorist infiltration attempt at Bitta in Sector 1,” the statement read.

It described ISWAP terrorists launching a “desperate bid to regain the initiative after recent battlefield setbacks.” Troops responded with a prepared “decisive offensive-defensive battle plan,” launching “coordinated spoiling actions that effectively disrupted the assault formation while simultaneously manoeuvring to cut off the terrorists’ withdrawal routes.”

Overwhelmed by “superior firepower,” the attackers suffered significant losses and fled in chaos.

This marks the third major defeat for ISWAP in 24 hours, after failed assaults at Banki and Azir Bridge.

The statement emphasised that these setbacks highlight “the continued operational pressure being mounted by the troops of Operation HADIN KAI across the theatre, which has severely constrained the terrorists’ freedom of action and denied them any opportunity to exploit propaganda narratives.”

Troops now “remain firmly in control of all locations and continue to dominate the operational environment with high morale, superior tactical coordination and sustained offensive action.”

The Military High Command commended their “continuous gallantry and resilience, urging them to sustain the operational tempo.”