Troops Smash ISWAP Detention Network, Free Captives in Sambisa Forest

Troops Smash ISWAP Detention Network, Free Captives in Sambisa Forest

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu 

Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have recorded another major breakthrough after destroying three detention facilities operated by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) deep inside the Sambisa Forest in Yobe State.

The facilities, located within the notorious Timbuktu Triangle of the forest in Gujba Local Government Area, were dismantled during a coordinated ground offensive that pushed troops further into areas long regarded as terrorist strongholds.

Confirming the operation, the OPHK Media Information Officer, Lt-Col. Sani Uba, disclosed in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Wednesday that the development marked a significant advance in the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign.

The destruction of these detention facilities represents a major ground operation into territories previously considered beyond the reach of our troops and other security agencies,” Uba said.

According to him, the successful identification and neutralisation of the facilities highlight the growing effectiveness and sustainability of military operations across the Sambisa Forest and the wider Lake Chad region.

Uba explained that the operation was conducted under Operation DESERT SANITY V, following sustained pressure, intelligence-led manoeuvres, and aggressive patrols that forced terrorists to abandon critical infrastructure within their enclaves.

“The exposure and destruction of these facilities clearly demonstrate that our troops have penetrated deep into ISWAP’s inner sanctuaries, denying them space to operate and weakening their operational capability,” he added.

Preliminary assessments revealed that the destroyed facilities had the capacity to hold up to 300 detainees, underscoring their strategic importance to ISWAP’s operational and coercive structure.

More significantly, the offensive reportedly led to the escape of over 70 captives who had been held by the terrorists. Many of the escapees later resurfaced in surrounding communities, including Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau.

One of the escapees, Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village in Buratai, Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, recounted his ordeal, saying he was abducted on 22 December 2025.

“I escaped from the ISWAP detention centre during a gun battle between the terrorists and advancing troops in the Timbuktu Triangle,” he said.

The military says operations in the Sambisa Forest are ongoing, with troops maintaining pressure on terrorist elements to dismantle remaining hideouts and restore safety to affected communities.