Escapee From ISWAP Captivity Recounts Ordeal After Troops Destroy Detention Camp In Borno

One of the escapees from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists’ captivity, Mallam Jidda Ba Jidda, has narrated how he escaped from the terrorists when the Nigerian military captured and destroyed the ISWAP detention camp in Timbuktu triangle.

In a video released by the troops which was obtained by LEADERSHIP, Mallam Jidda said the terrorists abducted him from their home on December 22, 2025, after killing his brother in Kufi village near Buratai in Biu local government area of Borno State.

Jidda said the terrorists usually feed them twice with little food in a day in the detention facility they were kept, adding that it was during the terrorists gun duel troopers troops that the insurgents opened their detention camp to flee with them, but fortunately, in the process he escaped.

Meanwhile, a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday in Maiduguri by media information officer of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said from January 2026 to date, troops uncovered and destroyed three major terrorists’ detention facilities concealed within the Timbuktu Triangle forest, which stretches across Borno and Yobe States.

Lt. Col. Uba said preliminary assessments indicated that the facilities had the capacity to hold up to 300 captives, highlighting their strategic importance to ISWAP terrorists’ operational and coercive framework.

He said further findings indicated that sustained offensive action by troops directly led to the escape of over 70 captives previously held by the terrorists, adding that this was corroborated by many of the escaped captives who later resurfaced in several villages like Goniri, Buratai and Mandaragirau, among others.

“One of the escapees, Malam Jidda Ba Jidda, a native of Kufi village near Buratai in Biu LGA who was abducted on 22 December 2025, disclosed that he escaped during the gun duel between the terrorists and advancing troops in the Timbuktu Triangle.

“Troops of the Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), recorded a major operational breakthrough following a carefully coordinated operations in the last 2 weeks leading to the capture and destruction of notorious ISWAP terrorists detention facility deep within the forested Timbuktu Triangle in Gujba Local Government Area.

“The development marks a significant advance into areas long considered beyond the reach of security forces and underscores the growing effectiveness and sustainability of ongoing counter-insurgency operations.

“The operation was conducted as part of Operation DESERT SANITY V, following sustained offensive pressure and intelligence-led manoeuvres that forced terrorist elements to abandon critical facilities deep within their strongholds. Their exposure and destruction clearly demonstrate that troops of OPHK have advanced well into inner sanctuaries of ISWAP terrorists denying the group both physical space and psychological advantage,” he stated.

The OPHK media information officer said during the series of encounters in the Timbuktu Triangle, ISWAP suffered significant combat losses, with no fewer than 32 fighters neutralised, including two Qaids and three Munzirs, while several others sustained serious injuries during fierce engagements with troops.

He said following thorough clearance of the area, the three detention facilities were deliberately demolished, permanently denying ISWAP the ability to reuse or reoccupy the site, adding that the operation was conducted successfully and without incident, reflecting the resilience, professionalism, discipline and combat effectiveness of the troops of OPHK.

Uba noted that the destruction of the detention camp marks more than a tactical victory, saying that it degraded ISWAP’s internal enforcement mechanisms, disrupts the terrorists’ ability to detain and collect ransom from civilians, and further constricts their freedom of action.

He said the escape of a large number of detainees not only deprives the terrorists of a key tool of funding, but also undermines their control over local populations while potentially providing valuable intelligence and testimonies that can aid ongoing operations.

“While the general security situation across the Theatre remains calm but unpredictable, troops’ morale and fighting efficiency remain satisfactory. The Armed Forces remain committed to sustaining pressure on terrorist elements, denying them safe havens, and restoring lasting peace and security across the North-East,” the statement added.