Nigerian military airstrikes have reportedly killed over 70 members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in recent operations across Borno State. Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, confirmed that air raids targeting ISWAP strongholds on Kwallaram and Arainna Ciki Islands on November 6 led to significant militant casualties.

The airstrikes are part of a series of operations that have made broader gains. In the past week, Nigerian forces killed 169 terrorists, arrested 641 suspects, and rescued 181 hostages. Additionally, 40 suspected oil thieves were apprehended, and stolen crude oil worth over N1.4 billion was recovered.

The military also seized an extensive cache of weapons, including 106 AK-47 rifles, 38 fabricated rifles, and over 2,970 rounds of ammunition. Further items recovered included seven vehicles, 29 motorcycles, 40 mobile phones, and N729,000 in cash.

In the Niger Delta region, military personnel dismantled 83 illegal refining sites and seized oil theft equipment, such as crude oil cooking ovens, storage tanks, and boats. The operation also resulted in the recovery of 914,445 liters of stolen crude oil, 537,325 liters of illegally refined diesel, and 1,285 liters of petrol.

General Buba emphasized that these ongoing offensives are significantly disrupting terrorist groups, forcing ISWAP to resort to social media for recruitment. He assured that the military would continue to intensify efforts to eliminate all security threats.