Social media reckless leaks of U.S ISR flights over Lake Chad force ISWAP fighters to relocate
By: Zagazola Makama
Reckless disclosure of sensitive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations by social media users has compromised ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the Lake Chad region, forcing Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters to relocate from monitored locations, reliable security sources told Zagazola Makama.
The social media handler had posted that the United States Air Force ISR aircraft, which has flown missions over the Lake Chad basin for three consecutive days, again returned on Saturday to conduct surveillance on ISWAP’s “Mantiqah Krinwa” in northern Borno. The aircraft, as with previous sorties, was tracked taking off from Accra, Ghana.
The operational gains, however, were undermined when a social media handler, identified as Brant Philip on Twitter (X), published the real-time flight paths and details of the ISR operations that were expected to remain covert.
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The sources said that although ISWAP fighters were not recently concentrated in Krinwa, the ISR media leaks had unsettled the group, prompting a tactical movement from Dogon Chikun to Bulabulin in an apparent attempt to avoid potential air interdiction in identified locations.
“Once the details of the ISR mission were posted online, the terrorists became aware of the surveillance and began repositioning. These kinds of leaks directly endanger operations and personnel,” a security source said.
Another source noted that online exposure of such highly sensitive military activity compromises not only Nigerian security efforts but also partner operations.
“People on social media must understand that sharing operational intelligence, especially in real time, is not content, it is sabotage. Terrorists monitor these platforms too,” the source added.
Social media users, bloggers and open-source enthusiasts must exercise restraint and avoid amplifying sensitive information that could compromise missions, or empower terrorist networks.