Title: ISWAP Cleric Issues Fresh Threats Against Malam Fatori After Failed Attack Date Published: 25 March 2026 Description: A suspected cleric linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province has reportedly threatened a fresh attack on Malam Fatori following the group’s recent setback in the area.Security sources disclosed that the warning came after Nigerian troops neutralised about 75 insurgents during a failed attack on March 18, 2026. The cleric, said to have led this year’s Eid-el-Fitr prayers near Sabon Tumbu, allegedly used the sermon to vow retaliation against military operations in Malam Fatori.According to the sources, the cleric threatened that the town could be “reduced to ashes” in a reprisal, cautioning that such statements should not be dismissed as empty rhetoric given past patterns of insurgent attacks.They warned that the group could deploy heavy weaponry and adopt tactics such as coordinated assaults and vehicle-borne explosive devices in any renewed offensive.Malam Fatori has long been regarded as a strategic military stronghold and a symbol of resistance against insurgent groups. Over the years, it has recorded significant victories against ISWAP fighters, earning a reputation among troops as a difficult terrain for insurgent operations.Troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces, supported by other security agencies, are said to be on heightened alert, with defensive positions reinforced in anticipation of any attempted incursion.Sources added that intelligence gathering and surveillance have been intensified, while logistics and operational readiness have been strengthened to ensure any threat is swiftly neutralised.“Experience has shown that insurgents often suffer heavy casualties when they attack well-defended positions like Malam Fatori,” a source noted. Attached Images: e89ab01adb544963c2fa919ac6780e466870e3f93244d6ed894397920a23e34e.jpg Attached Video: None