In the dawn of celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the territorial independence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Nigerian Airforce in coordination with ground forces has conducted a successful intelligence-led precision airstrike on another ISIS stronghold along the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin. 

The Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) — a loosely ideologically connected West Africa branch of ISIS core suffered another devastating military air bombardment on a location given by sources as Bakassi camp. 

The intelligence-led precision airstrike resulted in the annihilation of about 9 key ISWAP water logistics equipment forcing the few surviving jihadists to barely manage to escape from the Bakassi area. 

Sources reaffirmed that another successful military airstrike targeted a location given as Tumbuma —leading to the killing of several ISIS foot soldiers and field commanders seeking refuge in the remote location. Several escaping survivors were spotted relocating to Bula Kisa, Katti Kime. These two remote locations share common borders with other jihadist hideouts that have previously been bombarded by the Nigerian military and contributing regional troops — Kirenowa town, Gari Ba Amfani and Tudun Wulgo.

In another logistical revelation, credible sources have indicated that Boko Haram ISWAP units hiding around Marte Local Government Area (LGA ) continue to survive by easy access to food and other essential items supply via the porous Cameroon borders. 

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A key supplier of the jihadist has been named as one Mallam Yusuf. Little is known about this supplier, but sources say Mallam Yusuf is one of the traders for ISWAP jihadist and is often spotted transporting huge quantities of foodstuffs from Cameroon towns given as Darak, Doron liman, Kofiya towns to Kirta village. Once the items arrive in Kirta, other local connections are tasked to distribute the items to other villages, Camps and communities under the ISWAP Daula (Khalifah).

 Operational Recommendation

 An upsurge of successful Nigerian-led regional ground and aerial offensives on previous hideouts of the Jihadists in the Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad Basin. has weakened the battlefield capacity of ISWAPand Boko Haram JAS factions

Targeting the regular supply of food items; medications; recruitment of vulnerable fighters and blocking road and waterways supply of arms and ammunition along the long stretched borders is a priority. 

The border villages of Cikka, Doron liman, Kofiya, Darak, Mardat are particularly vulnerable points of entry and exit and should be blocked in direct coordination with the Cameroon military and security authorities. 

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The porosity of the border towns along the fringes of the Lake Chad is the weakest point in the regional counter-insurgency efforts – but incoordination, a joint intervention of active and proactive measures could turn things around against ISIS and Al-Qaeda loose networks. 

About The Author

David Otto is the Director for Stepped In – Step Out UK Ltd and a Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Expert. He is a Certified Anti -Terrorism Specialist (CAS), a Certified Master Anti -Terrorism Specialist (CMAS) and a programme trainer with the Anti -Terrorism Accreditation Board (ATAB). Twitter @ottotgs

Email: David.otto@steppedin-stepout.com