Nigeria Military and the Renewed Offensive Against Terrorist Elements
By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi
In the twilight of 2025, Nigeria the tone of national security discourse shifted from despair to cautious optimism. This change did not occur by chance, but rather by sustained efforts of gallantry, patriotism and sacrifice.
Ever since the historic US multiple drone strikes in collaboration with federal forces against ISIS target elements and their locations in Sokoto last month, the Nigerian military became more determined and resolute to crush the terrorists and insurgents across theatres of wars.
This followed months of sustained, intelligence-driven and highly coordinated counterterrorism operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), against insurgents, bandits and terror networks ravaging the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions.
From the fringes of the Sambisa Forest to bandit enclaves in the North-West and terrorist logistics corridors in Borno State, the Nigerian military’s renewed vigour has translated into measurable gains.
It is evident that recently, high-value targets were eliminated, terror camps dismantled, logistics chains disrupted, thousands of civilians rescued and unprecedented airpower dominance asserted.
The 2025 year counterterrorism campaign marked a decisive shift toward sustained offensive dominance. Military formations moved beyond holding ground to actively degrading terrorist capacity through relentless land, air and intelligence operations.
Recently, in the North-East, troops recorded a series of tactical victories against Boko Haram and ISWAP factions. In one operation, Troops of the Joint Task Force North East (JTF NE), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have apprehended a suspected suicide bomber and intercepted materials intended for the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Borno State, marking another major breakthrough in ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the North East.
Similarly, coordinated offensives deep inside the Sambisa Forest led to the dismantling of multiple terrorist camps. Arms caches were recovered, IEDs destroyed in situ, and strategic hideouts neutralised—further shrinking the operational space of insurgents who once considered the forest an impenetrable stronghold.
These efforts highlighted the military’s success in averting attacks before execution. The seizure of detonators, explosives and bomb-making components not only saved lives but also disrupted terror cells preparing mass-casualty attacks.
Beyond kinetic engagements, one of the most critical gains of the renewed operations has been the targeting of terrorist logistics and support networks. In another breakthrough in Borno, troops recovered a surveillance drone and arrested a suspected ISWAP logistics supplier. This operation underscored a growing military focus on intelligence warfare—cutting off food, fuel, surveillance tools and communication gadgets that sustain insurgent campaigns.
By intercepting food supplies, weapons, firearms and electronic gadgets, troops have effectively starved terror groups of the resources needed to regroup. This systematic choking of supply lines has significantly reduced the frequency and sophistication of attacks in several flashpoints.
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The tempo of operations has remained unrelenting. In yet another encounter in Borno, troops eliminated three terrorists and recovered assorted arms, reinforcing the pattern of consistent battlefield superiority. While such engagements may appear routine, their cumulative effect is strategic: gradual erosion of terror manpower, morale and command cohesion.
In the North-West, where banditry and mass kidnapping had crippled rural life, the Nigerian Army recorded one of its most impactful achievements. During 2025 operations, troops rescued 1,023 kidnapped victims and recovered 189 AK-47 rifles. For affected communities, these figures are not statistics—they represent restored families, revived livelihoods and renewed faith in the state’s protective capacity.
Perhaps the most defining element of the renewed counterterrorism push has been the overwhelming use of precision airpower. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) disclosed that it neutralised 2,351 terrorists through 274 precision airstrikes in 2025 alone. These strikes targeted command hubs, training camps, logistics bases and fleeing convoys across multiple theatres.
The effectiveness of these air operations has been amplified by improved intelligence fusion and international cooperation. Notably, Nigeria–United States military collaboration yielded decisive results, including the deployment of US drones in precision strikes against ISIS-linked enclaves in Sokoto State. These strikes sent a strong signal that Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts are increasingly aligned with global security frameworks.
A comprehensive operational summary released by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) further illustrates the scale of success recorded in 2025. Across all theatres, troops arrested 4,375 suspects, rescued 2,336 hostages and destroyed 503 illegal refineries—striking not just at terrorism but also at the criminal economies that fund insecurity.
The destruction of illegal refineries in particular weakened the financial lifelines connecting oil theft, arms trafficking and terror financing, especially in regions where criminality and insurgency overlap.
As military commands roll out operational reviews of 2025, they have not shied away from acknowledging challenges—terrain difficulties, asymmetric tactics and resource demands. However, what distinguishes the current posture is the clarity of mitigation plans for 2026: deeper intelligence collaboration, enhanced surveillance, improved troop welfare and sustained multinational partnerships.
The renewed counterterrorism momentum has also bolstered civilian-military confidence. Communities once trapped between terror groups and fear are increasingly providing actionable intelligence, further strengthening operational success.
While Nigeria’s security challenges are far from over, the renewed counterterrorism operations have fundamentally altered the balance of power. Terrorist groups are now on the defensive—losing commanders, camps, weapons, funding routes and freedom of movement.
As 2026 unfolds, the message from the battlefield is unmistakable: the Nigerian military is no longer merely reacting to terror—it is systematically dismantling it. And in doing so, it is restoring hope, stability and the promise of peace to communities long held hostage by fear.
MUKHTAR Ya’u Madobi is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) in Abuja.
