By SUMAILA OGBAJE

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have destroyed three notorious detention facilities operated by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists deep inside the forested Timbuktu Triangle and eliminated 32 fighters.

This is contained in a statement by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters OPHK, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, on Wednesday.

Uba said the facilities, uncovered during sustained offensive operations over the last two weeks, were located within the Timbuktu Triangle in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe.

He said the location had long served as holding centres for abducted civilians.

Uba said the operation, conducted under Operation DESERT SANITY V, marked a significant penetration of terrorist inner sanctuaries previously considered difficult to access by security forces.

According to him, the three detention facilities had the capacity to hold up to 300 captives, underscoring their importance to ISWAP’s coercive and ransom-driven operations across parts of Borno and Yobe States.

He said sustained pressure by advancing troops forced the terrorists to abandon the sites, leading to the escape of more than 70 captives who later resurfaced in communities such as Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau.

“One of the escapees, Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village near Buratai in Biu Local Government Area, said he escaped during a gun duel between the terrorists and troops in the Timbuktu Triangle,” he said.

Uba disclosed that no fewer than 32 ISWAP fighters were neutralised, including two senior commanders (Qaids) and three unit leaders (Munzirs), while several others sustained serious injuries during the encounters.

He added that after thorough clearance of the area, troops deliberately demolished the facilities to prevent their reoccupation by the terrorists.

The military spokesperson described the destruction of the camps as a major blow to ISWAP’s internal control system, noting that it would weaken the group’s ability to detain civilians, enforce compliance and generate funds through ransom.

He said troops’ morale remained high despite the unpredictable security situation in the Theatre, assuring that pressure would be sustained on terrorist enclaves until lasting peace is restored in the North East. (NAN)