Troops have discovered a suspected terrorist drone launch site during a fighting patrol in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the operation was carried out around 6:30 a.m. on Monday following intelligence reports of drone activity and bush burning allegedly conducted by ISWAP/JAS (Boko Haram) terrorists operating from the Damboa axis.

Security sources said troops moved to the area to verify the intelligence and, in the course of the patrol, identified and marked a location believed to have been used by the insurgents for launching drones.

The site has reportedly been earmarked for a possible ambush as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt terrorist surveillance and operational capabilities. Troops have also intensified patrols and monitoring in the area to prevent further attacks and limit the movement of insurgents.

Recent findings indicate that terrorist groups in West Africa are increasingly deploying drones in their operations. Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) shows that two Islamic State affiliates have carried out about 20 drone strikes in the region, most of them in Nigeria.

In one of the latest incidents, terrorists launched a coordinated attack on a military base in Borno State on January 29, using both armed drones and ground fighters. The Nigerian military confirmed that nine soldiers were killed in the assault, which was attributed to ISWAP.