Nigeria and US launch combined operation, resulting in death of 21 extremists

A joint operation conducted by Nigeria and the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has resulted in the death of 21 suspected ISWAP terrorists, following a precision airstrike on a terrorist camp in Arege, Borno State.

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Credible sources have disclosed that three of the 21 killed ISWAP terrorists were mid-level commanders responsible for coordinating raids into Monguno and Damasak.

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Col. Timothy Antigha Rtd, a specialist in military public information and counterterrorism, has confirmed the operation, stating that it marks another dividend from a defence relationship that has shifted from training-only to direct, intelligence-driven action against terrorist networks.

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According to Col. Antigha, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets observed that terrorists were assembling in Arege for possible attacks on targets within the locality, prompting operations coordination with friendly forces to be activated.

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The data was fused with US AFRICOM satellite imagery and signals intelligence, and once a cluster of 21 armed terrorists was confirmed in a concealed staging area, a joint strike was authorised, resulting in the neutralisation of all 21 targets with no civilian casualties reported.

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Col. Antigha noted that the precision of the strike demonstrates improved targeting, better coordination, and reduced collateral damage, which are the exact outcomes the partnership was redesigned to achieve.

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Arege is situated on a key ISWAP supply route between Nigeria, Niger, and Chad, and eliminating fighters there disrupts ISWAP logistics, recruitment, and command and control, according to Col. Antigha.

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By degrading ISWAP in Arege, Nigerian forces have reduced the group's ability to launch attacks on military outposts and civilian communities in northern Borno, and the operation also sends a signal that border areas long considered safe havens for terrorists are now within strike range.

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Col. Antigha explained that the US-Nigeria security cooperation has entered a more operational phase since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, with an emphasis on real-time intelligence fusion, precision strikes, and the targeting of high-value terrorist commanders.

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Commenting on observations by some groups criticising US involvement in the war on terror, Col. Antigha said it's a question of precision over volume, and the Nigeria-AFRICOM model answers that question differently, focusing on the precision of strikes rather than the volume.

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In 2022, Nigeria recorded over 400 airstrikes with a reported precision rate of 41%, while in 2024, the number of strikes dropped, but precision rose to 67%, according to Nigerian Air Force data.

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The Arege operation fits this pattern, with fewer bombs, higher accuracy, and better intelligence, and the goal is to degrade leadership, cut supply lines, and force surrenders, Col. Antigha noted.

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Since 2023, over 104,000 former Boko Haram terrorists and dependents have surrendered under Operation Safe Corridor, with many citing sustained pressure and loss of commanders as reasons for laying down arms.

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Col. Antigha added that the real yield of the AFRICOM partnership is intelligence, with US surveillance assets covering terrain that Nigerian forces cannot patrol round the clock, and Nigerian human intelligence providing ground context that satellite data cannot.

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Under the 2024 revised security cooperation framework, data now flows faster, and response time from "target identified" to "strike authorised" has dropped significantly, with the Arege operation being planned and executed within an acceptable combat operation timeframe.

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The speed achieved saves lives, as faster strikes mean fewer chances for terrorists to disperse, for hostages to be moved, or for Improvised Explosive Devices to be planted, and it also increases the psychological pressure on ISWAP fighters.