Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have recorded a major operational breakthrough with the capture and destruction of three notorious ISWAP terrorist detention facilities deep within the Timbuktu Triangle forest in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, freeing over 70 captives in the process.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East, the operation was carried out over the past two weeks under Operation DESERT SANITY V. The success marks a significant advance into areas previously considered beyond the reach of security forces and highlights the growing effectiveness of ongoing counter-insurgency efforts.
The statement said sustained offensive pressure and intelligence-led manoeuvres forced ISWAP elements to abandon critical facilities within their inner sanctuaries. Troops subsequently uncovered and destroyed the detention camps concealed within the Timbuktu Triangle forest, which stretches across parts of Borno and Yobe states.
Preliminary assessments revealed that the three facilities had the capacity to hold up to 300 detainees, underscoring their strategic importance to ISWAP’s operational and coercive framework. The sustained military action directly led to the escape of more than 70 captives, many of whom later resurfaced in communities including Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau.
One of the escapees, Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village near Buratai in Biu Local Government Area, who was abducted on 22 December 2025, disclosed that he escaped during a gun battle between the terrorists and advancing troops in the Timbuktu Triangle.
During the encounters, ISWAP suffered heavy losses, with no fewer than 32 fighters neutralised, including two Qaids and three Munzirs, while several others sustained serious injuries.
Following the successful clearance of the area, the three detention facilities were deliberately demolished to prevent any possibility of reuse or reoccupation by the terrorists. The military described the operation as successful and incident-free, reflecting the resilience, discipline and combat effectiveness of OPHK troops.
The military noted that beyond the tactical gains, the destruction of the detention camps has degraded ISWAP’s internal enforcement mechanisms, disrupted its ability to detain civilians for ransom, and further restricted the group’s freedom of action across the region.
While the overall security situation in the North East Theatre remains calm but unpredictable, the statement added that troops’ morale and fighting efficiency remain high, as the Armed Forces continue to sustain pressure on terrorist elements with the aim of restoring lasting peace and security in the region.
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