The Nigerian military has issued an urgent warning regarding a significant escalation in insurgent tactics, following the discovery that terrorists affiliated with ISWAP and Boko Haram are now converting commercial photography drones into improvised aerial weapons.
The revelation comes in the wake of a high-stakes counter-terrorism operation in the Malam Fatori axis of Borno State, where Nigerian troops executed a coordinated decoy ambush. The operation resulted in the neutralization of 86 insurgents, including two high-ranking ISWAP commanders.
Beyond the tactical victory, security sources disclosed to PRNigeria that the operation yielded a significant intelligence haul. Recovered items include technical manuals detailing drone modification procedures, handwritten operational maps, and mobile phones currently undergoing forensic analysis.
Preliminary intelligence from the seized materials suggests the insurgents’ evolving drone warfare capability is being supported by a network of external sponsors and foreign technical collaborators. “We are tracing the supply chains and financial backers driving this technological shift,” a military source stated.
In response to this emerging aerial threat, the military has deployed electronic warfare countermeasures, including frequency jamming technology, to neutralize hostile drones in flight. These domestic efforts are being bolstered by international support.
The United States has reportedly deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones and approximately 200 personnel to a base in Bauchi State to provide enhanced surveillance and intelligence fusion. Officials have emphasized that the U.S. role remains strictly non-combat.