Thread by @DefenseNigeria

From 2014 to 2019 ISWAP fighters rained down terror on Nigeria. When the fighting gets too intense they slip across the border to the relative safety of their enclaves in the Lake Chad basin, beyond the reach of the NAF. They engaged in commerce, got married, built a fishing

..industry, even setup quasi government without fear. The presence of U.S and French drone bases meant nothing, as for some bizzare reason they were allowed to congregate, hold meetings, plan attack, carry out the attacks in Nigeria and return home to their wives.

All this happening within striking range of MQ-9 Reaper drones staged in Niger and Chad less than 80km away. They knew the NAF lacked the range to hit those targets.The fastest aircraft in the NAF arsenal, F-7Ni able to fly at twice the speed of sound is notoriously short legged

It was designed to be a high speed interceptor, able to scramble and high speed and intercept enemy aircraft, but even with conformal fuel tanks the F-7Ni could barely stay airborne for 15 minutes on afterburners.

The L-39ZA's and Alpha jets are trainer planes with secondary light attack capabilities. Lacking the range and payload.

But those staging basis was not going to be allowed in perpetuity. The NAF finally have the pre-requisite aircrafts to hit any target in the Lake Chad basin or deep inside Chadian territory without apology, and this time with standoff munitions.

..and the NAF wasted no time in putting these assets to work, hitting targets in Lac Province with alarming effectiveness. The topography of these islands is flat and featureless, so there is no natural cover. With Lac Province no longer offering the protection like

..it once did, ISWAP relocated to the jungles of the northeast sometimes joining forces with Boko Haram. The death of Shekau gave ISWAP the opportunity to incoporate his fighters and relocate into the forests due to the illusion of security the thick jungle canopies provided.

It was in these same forests three of ISWAPS top commanders were killed. Bombs falling into their camps in the dead of night without the sound of a single airplane drove many to the edge. Thousands surrendered especially those with families. This was not what they sign up for.

With the forests offering no such protection ISWAP relocated back to Lake Chad, this time around to the Tunbuns, Malam Fatori and localities.

Working alongside the army and naval components under Operarion Hadin Kai, the NAF has for weeks dealt an even more decisive blow to insurgents. The insurgents wereabouts are known but the NAF made the tactical decision to give them a false sense of security by

..not hitting small groups of fighters hibernating in the area, choosing instead to wait it out until
they have meetings where they congregate in high concentrations by the hundreds before hitting them hard. Decimating the ranks of their top echelons.

In one such strike 20 boats ferrying ISWAP insurgents for a meeting before an attack was hit by the NAF.

Now for some bizzare reasons we have certain media outlets, perhaps out of nothing to write about but still needing to dish out content writing about ISWAPs ingenuity.

One such outlets writes

QUOTE

ISWAP’s ability to capture, modify, and utilise motorised vehicles, as well as navigate water bodies with boats, has allowed the group to sustain terror campaigns and state like activities in Northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.

The Toyota Hilux captured in ambushes and raids on national forces and partners make up a significant segment of the vehicles in the ISWAP inventory deployed with ground assault and anti-aircraft weapon systems.

END QUOTE

On the surface this looks like a big deal. In reality its vague, bland and lacks depth. Putting words together to make for an interesting read while at the same time telling us nothing. The editorial then goes on and on about ISWAP military capabilities, their ingenuity,

..and the inability of the Nigerian military to respond effectively. The editorial ends with a plea for money.

"Donation to support journalism".

I am pointing this out because this is a big problem. People who only care social media success and revenue. Their motivation

..is to cash in on the conflict without a care on how their skewed and negative reportage affects morale of both insurgents and our troops. It so much easier to be critical but much harder to be objective. Ninety nine present of the editorials

..you read about by social media influencers and bloggers have one central theme. Dig up stories of military setbacks, dig up flattering photos of insurgents, put them together, post, and then ask for money and donations in the most comical of ways..

To quote one

QUOTE

To ensure that we continue to provide public service coverage, we have a small favour to ask you. We want you to be part of our journalistic endeavour by contributing a taken to us. Your donation will further promote a free, and independent media.

END

If your business model depends on sensational stories of insurgent exploits and military setbacks it means you have an obligation to keep dishing out negative contents about the war effort to stay in business, so they keep digging and digging. No concience. All they see is MONEY