Troops of the Joint Task Force, North-East, Operation HADIN KAI, have recorded another major operational success after killing 48 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and recovering 52 firearms during coordinated operations in Borno and Yobe states.
The operations, conducted between Thursday, October 29, and Friday, October 30, involved the successful repulsion of terrorist attacks on military positions in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and the North-East Theatre Training School (NETTS), Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The latest engagements represent a significant achievement in the military’s ongoing campaign to degrade the fighting capacity of Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents, disrupt their operational networks and prevent attacks on military installations and surrounding communities.
The Acting Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed the developments in a statement issued on Friday.
According to Goni, troops successfully repelled an attempted terrorist assault on their position in Bitta on Thursday night through a coordinated response involving ground forces and air support.
The troops demonstrated combat readiness and operational effectiveness, preventing the attackers from overrunning the military position and inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents.
In a related development, troops launched a counter-offensive against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked the North-East Theatre Training School in Buni Yadi from Thursday night into the early hours of Friday.
The approximately five-hour engagement was coordinated by the Theatre Command, with Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities integrated with air and ground assets.
The coordinated operation resulted in the elimination of 48 terrorists and the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons, ammunition and other military-related equipment.
Items recovered by the troops included:
42 AK-47 rifles.
Five PKT machine guns.
Four General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG).
One 60mm mortar.
105 AK-47 magazines.
Two video cameras.
The recovered ammunition comprised 30 rounds of 12.7mm armour-piercing incendiary ammunition, 2,738 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 223 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 2,054 rounds of PKT ammunition.
The recovery of the weapons and ammunition represents an important operational gain, depriving the insurgents of equipment required to sustain attacks, reinforce their fighting formations and threaten military positions.
The recovered video cameras could also provide useful material for intelligence assessment, although the military has not disclosed their contents or intended use.
EARLIER OCTOBER SUCCESS IN KUKAWA
The latest achievements build on other operational successes recorded by Operation HADIN KAI earlier in October.
On October 8, troops repelled a coordinated, multi-directional ISWAP assault on the 101 Special Forces Battalion in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to a report by the Voice of Nigeria, the insurgents attacked the military position from four different directions but were resisted by troops who deployed superior firepower, tactical manoeuvres and coordinated battlefield action.
The counter-offensive, supported by the Air Component, resulted in more than 25 terrorists being neutralised, with 14 bodies recovered during the preliminary assessment.
Troops also recovered six AK-47 rifles, while further exploitation operations were initiated to locate fleeing insurgents, recover additional weapons and prevent the attackers from regrouping.
The Kukawa engagement demonstrated the importance of coordinated air-ground operations, intelligence-led responses and the ability of troops to withstand multi-directional attacks on military formations.
It also illustrated the military’s continuing efforts to deny insurgents freedom of movement and action in communities and operational corridors across Borno State.
MILITARY CAMPAIGN AND RENEWED INSURGENT PRESSURE
The latest engagements must also be viewed against the wider security situation in the North-East, where Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to pose serious threats to military formations and civilian populations.
A Reuters report published on October 30 noted that attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP on military positions in the region had increased in recent weeks, despite years of military operations aimed at containing the insurgency.
This development reinforces the need for sustained offensive operations, improved intelligence gathering, effective surveillance and stronger coordination among the military’s land and air components.
The Defence Headquarters has also reported operational gains during October. According to its October 10 operational update, troops across the country neutralised 36 terrorists, rescued at least 50 abducted persons and arrested several suspected terrorists and collaborators during operations conducted between October 2 and 8.
Within the North-East theatre, Operation HADIN KAI was among the formations involved in the wider campaign, including operations against ISWAP in Borno and Yobe.
SACRIFICE OF TROOPS
Despite the operational successes, the engagements came at a cost to the military.
Goni confirmed that one soldier was killed during the encounters, while two others sustained minor injuries and were responding to treatment.
The loss underscores the continuing risks faced by military personnel operating in the North-East, where insurgents have repeatedly attempted to overrun military positions and exploit vulnerabilities in security formations.
The Theatre Command commended the courage, resilience and fighting spirit of the troops, while expressing condolences over the death of the fallen soldier and wishing the injured personnel a speedy recovery.
OPERATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE AND THE WAY FORWARD
The successful defence of the positions in Bitta and Buni Yadi demonstrates the importance of combining intelligence, surveillance, air support and ground operations in confronting insurgent threats.
The integration of ISTAR capabilities with air and ground assets enabled the Theatre Command to coordinate an effective response against a large concentration of insurgents, particularly during the prolonged engagement in Buni Yadi.
The recovery of 52 firearms, including machine guns and a mortar, alongside thousands of rounds of ammunition, also represents a substantial disruption to the insurgents’ ability to sustain attacks.
However, the renewed attacks on military positions, as highlighted by recent reporting, show that the insurgency remains an active security challenge. The latest battlefield successes should therefore be consolidated through sustained patrols, follow-up operations, intelligence exploitation and measures to prevent fleeing insurgents from regrouping.
Continued cooperation between the Armed Forces, other security agencies, local authorities and communities will also remain essential in identifying insurgent movements, disrupting supply networks and strengthening security around vulnerable settlements.
With 48 suspected terrorists neutralised, 52 firearms recovered and two major attacks successfully repelled, Operation HADIN KAI has recorded another significant achievement in its campaign against insurgency in the North-East.
The immediate priority, however, remains to sustain the operational momentum, protect military installations and civilian communities, and translate battlefield successes into lasting improvements in security and stability across Borno, Yobe and the rest of the North-East.