Troops of the Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI have thwarted coordinated terrorist attacks in Borno State, neutralising scores of ISWAP fighters in sustained land and air offensives across multiple fronts.
Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, disclosed that the failed assaults, launched on the night of February 20, 2026, targeted Limankara and Kukawa communities but were repelled by alert troops backed by air support.
In Limankara, terrorists in unconfirmed numbers attempted to infiltrate the Forward Operating Base (FOB). Troops engaged the attackers in a fierce firefight, with rapid reinforcement and coordinated air support overwhelming the assailants and forcing them to retreat through the burial ground axis. There were no casualties or equipment losses recorded on the side of the troops, while several terrorists were confirmed killed.
Similarly, terrorists mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles launched a multi-pronged attack on troops in Kukawa from the Alagarno and Jemmu axes. Anticipating the move, troops mounted a determined defence, engaging the attackers in an intense battle that extended into the early hours of February 21.
Air platforms conducted precision strikes during the engagement, destroying one terrorist gun truck and neutralising four fighters onboard. Further aerial surveillance tracked fleeing insurgents on five motorcycles to a convergence point, where another precision strike destroyed the motorcycles and killed an additional 10 fighters.
Following the operation, troops recovered 13 AK-47 rifles, 16 loaded magazines, three handheld radios, stretchers used by the insurgents to evacuate casualties, as well as evidence of shallow graves and blood trails.
However, one soldier was killed in action, while some combat enablers were destroyed by rocket fire during the engagement. The wounded personnel were promptly evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and are reported to be in stable condition.
In a separate offensive under Operation Desert Sanity V, troops of Sector 2 conducted a precision operation around Lamusheri Village in Gujba Local Government Area, identified as a key terrorist logistics hub. Despite coming under fire, troops, in synergy with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, outflanked the insurgents and cut off their withdrawal routes.
Fifteen terrorists were neutralised during the firefight, while several others fled with gunshot wounds. Troops also destroyed defensive structures and logistics assets, including five tricycles and two vehicles used for attacks, and recovered arms and ammunition.
The military high command commended the troops for their impressive battle performance and urged them to sustain the operational tempo as efforts continue to degrade terrorist capabilities in the North-East.
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