The Nigerian military has uncovered a troubling evolution in insurgent tactics in the North-East, as terrorist groups increasingly rely on weaponised commercial drones to carry out aerial attacks.
According to intelligence findings, groups such as ISWAP and Boko Haram are now adapting drones originally meant for photography into improvised weapons. These drones are being fitted with locally made explosive devices and triggering systems, allowing operators to launch remote-controlled strikes on both strategic sites and civilian areas.
This discovery follows a major military operation in the Malam Fatori area of Borno State, where troops successfully executed a coordinated ambush that led to the killing of two senior ISWAP commanders along with dozens of fighters.
After the operation, security forces recovered several critical materials, including mobile devices under forensic review, handwritten notes outlining attack plans, and manuals explaining how to convert commercial drones into weapons. These findings have provided strong leads pointing to organised support networks behind the insurgents’ growing drone capabilities.
Investigations suggest that the use of weaponised drones is not случай, but part of a structured effort involving sponsors, supply channels, and foreign technical assistance. Authorities are currently tracking these networks to better understand their operations and disrupt their activities.
In response, the military has intensified efforts to counter the threat by deploying advanced electronic warfare systems and strengthening intelligence operations. One of the key methods being used is frequency jamming, which interferes with communication between drones and their operators, causing the devices to lose control and crash before reaching their targets.
Troops have also received specialised training to identify, monitor, and neutralise hostile drones, with a focus on improving coordination and response speed during aerial threats.
