Five suspected Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, terrorists, including an alleged medical officer and four Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, specialists, have reportedly been killed in a premature explosion while assembling explosives in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
Intelligence sources including security analyst, Zagazola Makama, confirmed on Tuesday that the incident occurred at Maina Daya Village, located between Sabon Tumbu and Jubilaram, about 29 kilometres east of Monguno Local Government Area of the state.
According to the sources, the explosion killed Usman Dan Fulani, described as an ISWAP medical officer, alongside two foreign Arab IED technicians and two ISWAP bomb-making experts.
The sources said the incident occurred while the terrorists were allegedly preparing improvised explosive devices for deployment, suggesting the group was planning further attacks along key military supply routes in the Sector 1 area of Operation HADIN KAI.
Security analysts believe the loss of experienced bombmakers is a significant setback to ISWAP’s IED network and could temporarily weaken the group’s capability to carry out roadside bomb attacks in the Marte-Monguno axis.
Military sources disclosed that troops of Operation HADIN KAI have been directed to exploit the development by intensifying patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and precision offensive actions around Monguno, Marte, and Gamboru Ngala to prevent the terrorist group from regrouping or rebuilding its IED capability.
