The Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI has accused remnants of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) of resorting to propaganda in a bid to mislead the public amid sustained military offensives in the North East.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, the military said insurgents are recycling old photographs and outdated media reports to create panic and falsely project operational strength.
According to the statement, one of the resurfaced publications is a 9 July 2020 report by YNaija, which allegedly depicted the bodies of soldiers and claimed to show a recent ambush on Nigerian troops. The Task Force clarified that its fact-checking mechanism confirmed the report was originally published years ago and does not reflect the current security situation.
Operation HADIN KAI stressed that it has not lost 20 soldiers in any recent incident, describing the circulating materials as deliberate attempts to distort the operational reality in the region, where terrorists are said to be in disarray.
The military disclosed that within the past week, troops carried out coordinated air and ground offensives across multiple fronts, delivering what it described as decisive blows to terrorist enclaves and logistics networks.
At Miyanti, Gajigana and Gajiram, insurgents attempting to regroup were reportedly engaged and neutralised, with troops recovering anti-aircraft platforms, rocket bombs, machine guns and assorted rifles abandoned by fleeing fighters.
In another operation at Chabbal checkpoint, vigilant troops intercepted logistics supplies and a cash sum of N37 million allegedly meant to finance terrorist activities, dealing what the Task Force described as a major setback to insurgents’ sustainment efforts.
Similarly, at Komala in Konduga Local Government Area, troops pursued suspected terrorists along the Gidan Kaji axis, neutralising 16 insurgents. Twenty bicycles, weapons and other logistics items were recovered and destroyed.
The Joint Task Force maintained that the cumulative operational gains recorded within a week underscore the steady degradation of terrorist capabilities in the North East.
It urged members of the public and media organisations to verify information from credible official sources before sharing content that could amplify terrorist propaganda. Citizens were also encouraged to remain calm, go about their lawful activities and continue providing timely and actionable information to security agencies.
Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed its commitment to the total defeat of terrorism and the restoration of lasting peace and stability in the North East.
