ISWAP Kills Police Officer, Two CJTF Members

ISWAP Kills Police Officer, Two CJTF Members

Suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly killed a Nigerian police officer and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno State.

The incident was disclosed by security analyst Brant Philip, who said the victims had earlier been captured in separate locations before their execution.

According to the report, another CJTF operative was also killed days earlier after being taken captive near Damasak.

Philip noted that such executions often follow a pattern in which captives are held for days before being killed.

“When these militiamen, soldiers and police officers are captured, the group doesn’t immediately claim it. They are usually held for a few days for interrogation before they are executed in groups,” he said.

The killings come amid ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North-East, where security forces continue to target ISWAP and other armed groups.

In a separate development, the Nigerian Army said its troops under Operation Eastern Sanity had intensified operations in the South-East, recording gains against fighters linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

The army disclosed that on April 14, joint forces supported by the air component of Operation Udoka carried out a clearance operation in Ajali Forest in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Military authorities said the operation forced the fighters to retreat, leaving behind equipment, including an improvised explosive device.

“The sustained pressure by troops, supported by intelligence and air power, has continued to weaken the group’s structure,” the army said.

Security operations have been ongoing across different regions as authorities seek to curb insurgency and armed violence.