Explosion Kills 5 ISWAP Terrorists While Assembling IEDs
- Five suspected ISWAP members, including a medical officer and two foreign Arab bomb technicians, died in Marte LGA, Borno State
- Security analyst Zagazola Makama confirmed the blast occurred at Maina Daya Village, about 29 kilometres east of Monguno LGA
- Operation HADIN KAI troops have been ordered to intensify patrols in the Monguno, Marte, and Gamboru Ngala areas following the incident
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Borno State - Five suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants have died after explosives they were building went off prematurely at Maina Daya Village in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State.
Intelligence sources said the dead included Usman Dan Fulani, identified as an ISWAP medical officer, two foreign Arab IED technicians, and two local bomb-making specialists attached to the group.
Source: Original
As reported by Vanguard, Security analyst Zagazola Makama said the blast occurred at the village, which sits between Sabon Tumbu and Jubilaram, roughly 29 kilometres east of Monguno Local Government Area.
What was ISWAP planning?
Sources said the five men were in the process of assembling improvised explosive devices intended for deployment when the explosion occurred.
Analysts believe the devices were being prepared for use along military supply routes in the Sector 1 area of Operation HADIN KAI, the Nigerian military's ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the Lake Chad Basin.
Security experts say the loss of experienced bombmakers represents a notable blow to ISWAP's capacity to carry out roadside bomb attacks in the Marte-Monguno corridor.
The two foreign Arab technicians in particular are seen as hard to replace, given the specialised knowledge they brought to the group's IED network.
Military response in Borno
As reported by TheCable, following the incident, military sources said troops of Operation HADIN KAI have been ordered to take advantage of the situation by stepping up patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and targeted offensive actions across the Monguno, Marte, and Gamboru Ngala areas.
The directive is aimed at stopping ISWAP from regrouping or finding ways to restore its bomb-making capability in the region.
The Marte-Monguno axis has remained one of the more active flashpoints in Nigeria's north-east, with ISWAP regularly targeting military convoys and supply lines using improvised explosive devices.
ISWAP's ‘bomb-making specialist’, senior commander surrenders
Recall that two ISWAP members, including a bomb-making specialist, surrendered to the Nigerian troops in Yobe State.
Their surrender marks a significant victory for security forces combating Boko Haram and ISWAP in the north-east region.
The insurgents could reveal critical information on bomb factories and logistical routes for terrorist operations.
Soldiers kill ISWAP cameraman, recover terrorist footage
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Nigerian Army troops foiled an ISWAP infiltration attempt at Cross Kauwa, Kukawa LGA in Borno State on July 11, 2026, killing several attackers.
Troops recovered a Sony camcorder from a neutralised terrorist cameraman containing footage linking 4 senior ISWAP commanders and 3 foreign nationals to the operation.
Two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds during the firefight and were airlifted for medical care, with both confirmed to be in stable condition.
Source: Legit.ng
