Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have foiled coordinated terrorist attacks launched by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province on several military locations in Borno State, killing scores of insurgents and recovering weapons.
Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to him, the attacks, which targeted troops’ positions in Njimtilo, Baga, Buratai and Damboa in the early hours of March 16, 2026, were repelled following fierce engagements supported by air strikes from the Nigerian military.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said the terrorists launched the assaults from multiple directions in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to overrun military formations and gain propaganda advantage.
According to him, the first encounter occurred at Ajiri Cross, near Njimtilo, where insurgents attempted to infiltrate the positions of troops under Sector 1. However, vigilant soldiers who had anticipated the attack swiftly detected the movement and engaged the attackers with coordinated firepower.
“The troops adopted a deliberate offensive-defensive posture, disrupting the terrorists’ formation and cutting off their withdrawal routes. The attackers were forced into a disorganised retreat after suffering heavy casualties,” he said.
He added that similar attacks on troops’ locations in Baga, Buratai and Damboa were also repelled as soldiers brought superior firepower to bear on the insurgents.
The military operations were further reinforced by close air support from the air component and the Nigerian Army Aviation, whose precision strikes disrupted the terrorists’ assault formations and inflicted additional losses as they attempted to flee.
During the engagements, several terrorists were neutralised, including a key commander who led the attack on Buratai. Many others were reportedly wounded while escaping along their withdrawal routes.
Despite the intensity of the firefights, which left some equipment destroyed and a number of troops wounded, soldiers maintained control of all the affected locations and continued pursuit operations against the fleeing insurgents.
Subsequent exploitation operations conducted around Baga and extending to Korochara and Garin Giwa towards the Gidan Kaje general area led to the recovery of several weapons and ammunition.
Items recovered include three PKT machine guns, seven AK-47 rifles, 206 rounds of PKT ammunition, 418 rounds of anti-aircraft ammunition, seven AK-47 magazines, three AK-74 magazines and three rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs.
Other materials recovered were two camel bags, three head warmers, a blanket, a magazine carrier and one litre of engine oil, while three motorcycles used by the insurgents were destroyed.
Troops also recovered seven terrorist corpses, while intelligence reports indicated that the insurgents hurriedly buried about 20 of their fighters in shallow graves during their retreat.
The military said the failed attacks highlight the increasing pressure being mounted on terrorist groups across the North East, which has significantly limited their operational capabilities.
Operation HADIN KAI reassured residents that all the affected locations remain firmly under the control of troops and urged the public to remain vigilant while disregarding misinformation aimed at undermining ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
