Operation Hadin Kai Sends Eight ISWAP Fighters to Collect Their Sambisa Forest Receipt

Operation Hadin Kai troops don carry another message enter Sambisa Forest, as military authorities say eight ISWAP terrorists don neutralise for the Timbuktu Triangle area of Borno State. The operation reportedly followed intelligence about terrorists gathered around Thethangala village, with the engagement lasting about two hours.

Operation Hadin Kai Turns Sambisa to Uncomfortable Address

According to the military account, troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai moved against suspected ISWAP fighters after receiving credible intelligence about their presence inside the Timbuktu Triangle. The troops reportedly engaged the terrorists and neutralised eight of them. For the people wey dey hear “Timbuktu Triangle” like say na tourist destination, make dem no misunderstand am: the area remains one of the known operational spaces for insurgent groups inside the wider Sambisa Forest.

The development is another example of the intelligence-led operations security forces have been using against terrorist groups in the North-East. In simple Nigerian language, the terrorists allegedly gather thinking say forest don give them permanent accommodation, only for soldiers to arrive with information wey apparently already know their address. But while the military description of the eight casualties is significant, the wider security picture remains more complicated because neutralising fighters does not automatically remove the networks, logistics and recruitment structures that sustain insurgency.

ISWAP Still Fighting for Space Inside Sambisa

Recent operations show that the Timbuktu Triangle and Sambisa Forest remain heavily contested. In March 2026, Operation Hadin Kai reported that 38 ISWAP fighters were neutralised around the Garin Mallum-Garin Gajere axis, with weapons and other equipment recovered. The military said the operation followed an ISWAP attack on a military base and subsequent exploitation along the terrorists’ withdrawal routes.

There have also been signs that the military campaign is moving beyond simply chasing fighters. In February, troops reportedly destroyed three ISWAP detention facilities in the Timbuktu Triangle and freed more than 70 captives. In May, troops also rescued 92 abducted civilians around the Sambisa Forest area. Meanwhile, authorities have reported the seizure of more than 400 Starlink communication devices allegedly being used by terrorist groups, showing that the battle increasingly involves intelligence, communications and logistics as much as conventional firepower.

For now, the reported eight ISWAP casualties represent another setback for the terrorist group, but nobody should mistake one successful operation for the end of the war. Sambisa Forest has swallowed plenty security headlines over the years, and insurgent groups have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to adapt, relocate and reorganise. Operation Hadin Kai therefore still has the harder job of turning battlefield gains into lasting security for communities.

As the operation continues, Nigerians will be watching whether the latest Operation Hadin Kai success becomes part of a sustained campaign that weakens ISWAP’s ability to attack civilians and military positions—or whether the terrorists simply disappear into another corner of the forest to resume their troublesome “hide and seek” business.