By Reportcircle News
A buried bomb on a vital supply corridor and a covert logistics run disguised as a routine road trip were both cut short this week as Nigerian troops intensified pressure on insurgent networks in Borno State, underscoring a widening military campaign to choke Boko Haram and ISWAP of mobility and supplies.
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, operating under Desert Sanity IV and V, recorded twin operational gains that combined battlefield vigilance with intelligence-led interception.
The first breakthrough came on the Damboa–Komala axis, a critical Main Supply Route linking communities and commerce.
Soldiers of 25 Brigade, on routine patrol, uncovered an Improvised Explosive Device concealed along the roadway on 17 December.
The device capable of inflicting mass casualties and disrupting movement—was swiftly secured and neutralised in a controlled detonation.
The prompt action averted what could have been a deadly strike on both troops and civilian commuters, keeping the artery open and safe.
Barely 48 hours later, the focus shifted from explosives to economics—the lifeblood of insurgency.
Acting on credible intelligence, OPHK troops mounted a checkpoint operation along the busy Maiduguri–Bama Road.
There, they intercepted a Lagos-registered vehicle, AKD 244 YE, attempting to move undetected through the corridor.
Inside was no ordinary cargo.
Large quantities of foodstuffs and energy drinks, believed to be destined for Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters operating around Kirawa Ward in Gwoza Local Government Area, were seized.
Two suspects were arrested at the scene.
Security sources confirmed that additional items recovered included three mobile phones, an identity card, a ring, and cash in both Nigerian naira and CFA francs materials now considered crucial to mapping the group’s logistics and financial trails.
The suspects, vehicle and exhibits have been handed over to military intelligence for further investigation.
The Military High Command praised the troops for what it described as “impressive operational discipline” and urged sustained pressure on insurgent networks.
Officials say the strategy is clear: deny terrorists freedom of movement, dismantle their supply chains and steadily shrink the space in which they operate.
As the army tightens control over roads, checkpoints and supply routes across the North East, the latest operations signal a campaign increasingly focused not just on firepower, but on starving insurgency of the everyday resources it needs to survive.
