MAIDUGURI: Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have repelled coordinated terrorist attacks across multiple locations in Borno and Yobe States, killing over 50 insurgents and recovering a large cache of weapons and ammunition.
According to a statement released on Thursday by the Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI, the attacks occurred between midnight and 4 a.m. in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko, which fall under Sector 1 (Borno) and Sector 2 (Yobe).
The army said that despite the coordinated assaults, the troops stood firm, fought gallantly, and professionally repelled the attacks, inflicting what it described as a decisive and bloody blow on the terrorists.
The military also credited the success to precision airstrikes carried out by the Air Component Command of OPHK, supported by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets that enhanced battlefield awareness.
The combined ground and air efforts resulted in the neutralisation of over 50 terrorists across all the locations, said Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force.
Recovered items from the operations included 38 AK-47 rifles, seven PKT machine guns, five RPG tubes, two GPMGs, hand grenades, and thousands of rounds of assorted ammunition.
The statement further disclosed that over 70 wounded terrorists were being pursued by ground troops with aerial support.
Intelligence reports, according to the army, indicated that the insurgents who attacked Dikwa and Gajibo infiltrated from the Cameroon axis, while those in Katarko emerged from the notorious Timbuktu Triangle, a long-time terrorist enclave.
The military confirmed that some troops sustained injuries during the fierce exchange but were in stable condition. It also noted that a few vehicles and buildings were damaged by drone and RPG fire in Mafa and Dikwa, where parts of the defence line were briefly breached.
The Defence Headquarters commended the troops for their gallantry, resilience, and renewed determination to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
Their steadfast performance reaffirms the military’s unwavering resolve to protect the nation, especially with the deployment of additional personnel and critical combat enablers into the theatre,” the army stated.
