Military Battles ISWAP For Territorial Control In Yobe State

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Nigerian Army Headquarters on Saturday, May, 3, 2025, announced an ongoing fierce confrontation between troops of the Operation HADIN KAI ,and terrorist elements belonging to Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP.

A statement posted on its official site, informed that troops and ISWAP fighters are locked in a  grueling firefight for the control of  Buni Gari area of Yobe State, North East region of the Country.

“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, are currently in a fierce battle against  ISWAP attack at Buni Gari Yobe State”, the terse statement noted.

The Source reports that Borno and Yobe states have been the epicentres of insurgency, mostly undertaken by ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters in the North East zone.

The two extremist-groups were behind the invasion and occupation of a large portion of territories in the two States, between 2010 and 2019, a development that led to the declaration of a State of emergency in the two  States and Adamawa  in 2013 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, their activities were relatively curtailed between 2019 and 2023 leading to the return of normalcy,with many displaced persons beginning to resettle.

But the two States, especially Borno, have, of recent, come under intense attacks, with terrorists targeting military formations and the newly settlement areas.

The orgy of killings and destruction trailing the  attacks forced  the Borno State  Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, to raise concerns about the  reoccupation of the States by insurgents.