Troops kill over 50 terrorists, foil multiple attacks in Borno, Yobe

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully repelled coordinated attacks by terrorists on multiple fronts in Borno and Yobe states, killing more than 50 insurgents and recovering a cache of weapons.

In a statement on Thursday, the Nigerian Army said the attacks occurred between midnight and 4 a.m. in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko — areas under Sector 1 (Borno) and Sector 2 (Yobe).

According to the statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East (OPHK), troops fought “gallantly and professionally,” standing their ground and inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers.

The success, the army said, was bolstered by air support from the Air Component Command of OPHK, which carried out precision strikes aided by intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets.

“The combined ground and air operations resulted in the neutralisation of over 50 terrorists across all the locations,” the statement read.

Recovered items included 38 AK-47 rifles, seven PKT machine guns, five RPG tubes, two GPMGs, hand grenades, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

The army added that over 70 wounded terrorists were being pursued, noting that intelligence reports showed the attackers in Dikwa and Gajibo came from the Cameroon border axis, while those who struck Katarko advanced from the notorious Timbuktu Triangle.

While some soldiers were wounded in action, the army confirmed they were in stable condition. It also disclosed that parts of Dikwa and Mafa sustained damage from RPG and drone fire during the battle.

The military high command praised the troops for their bravery and resilience, reaffirming its determination to eliminate terrorist threats and defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity