Abdulsalam Abubakar, theatre commander of the Joint Task Force of the North-East Operation Hadin Kai, says the security situation in the region has improved significantly following sustained counter-terrorism operations and renewed synergy among security agencies.

He said this in an interview on Saturday in Maiduguri. Mr Abubakar said the Armed Forces of Nigeria maintained the operational initiative across the theatre, denying terrorists the freedom of movement and access to logistics that once fueled their campaigns of terror.

He said the lingering insecurity in North-East was not an isolated phenomenon, but rather closely linked to broader regional and global developments, including instability in the Sahel, the Middle East, and the Russia–Ukraine war.

“Since November last year, we have observed an increase in the use of armed drones and radio-controlled improvised explosive devices by the terrorists. These trends are direct consequences of global technological proliferation linked to conflicts elsewhere.

“However, our forces continue to retain the initiative. The goal of the armed forces remains to flush out the terrorists from their remaining strongholds in Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains, the Tumbuns, and the Lake Chad Islands,” he said.

Mr Abubakar highlighted that coordinated operations aimed at achieving this strategic objective were yielding remarkable results.

He said, “In the last two months alone, about 26 key terrorist commanders have been neutralised, with substantial recoveries of arms, ammunition and vehicles. Many insurgent camps have been cleared and destroyed, forcing remnants of the groups into isolated pockets.

“Socio-economic activities have resumed in most areas previously under terrorist influence. Markets have reopened, schools are functioning, and roads that were once unsafe now experience daily movement of goods and people. That is a major milestone for us as a nation.”

The commander said sustained pressure by the army troops had restored confidence among the citizens, leading to increased voluntary returns to ancestral homes under the Borno government’s resettlement framework.

While highlighting some of the key achievements of the operations, Mr Abubakar described the strangulation of the terrorists’ logistics strategy as a turning point in the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP.

“By cutting off their supply chains, we have effectively crippled their capacity to sustain prolonged engagements. Several IED-making factories have been discovered and destroyed, and we have recorded tremendous successes in intercepting their logistics convoys,” he said.

Mr Abubakar cited the July 2025 operation in Dikwa, where troops recovered over 50 lethal IEDs, as an example of how intelligence-led missions disrupted enemy capabilities. He said the troops neutralised more than 257 terrorists in coordinated ground and air offensives, with many others surrendering along with their families between July and September 2025.

“The terrorists’ employment of drones has also been curtailed through the deployment of advanced anti-drone technology and improved air dominance made possible by the unwavering support of the Military High Command. Recoveries of weapons have increased significantly, and our sustained offensive operations have continued to shrink the battle space for the terrorists,” he said.

(NAN)