Nigerian Army Kills 29 Terrorists in Borno and Yobe Operations

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have eliminated 29 terrorists during a series of coordinated military engagements across Borno and Yobe states over the weekend.

The operations, which took place between Saturday and Sunday, targeted terrorist strongholds in Lamusheri Village, located in the Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, as well as the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Limankara and the town of Kukawa in Borno State.

In a statement released on Sunday, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force in the North East, confirmed that the offensives were part of a sustained effort to dismantle terrorist enclaves within the theatre of operations.

“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have once again demonstrated clear combat superiority by decisively thwarting coordinated terrorist attacks in Limankara and Kukawa,” Uba stated.

According to the military, 15 terrorists were neutralized during the operation in Gujba, while an additional 14 were killed in the fighting that occurred in Kukawa.

The statement detailed that troops from Sector 2, operating under the auspices of Operation Desert Sanity V, executed a precision strike in the early hours of February 22. Acting on intelligence and supported by surveillance platforms, the forces targeted Lamusheri Village, which had been identified as a key logistics hub for the insurgents.

“Despite coming under fire on approach, troops, in synergy with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, outflanked the terrorists and cut off their withdrawal routes. During the ensuing firefight, 15 terrorists were neutralised while scores fled with gunshot wounds,” Lt. Col. Uba explained.

In a separate incident, terrorists attempting to infiltrate the Forward Operating Base at Limankara were repelled by ground troops. The military confirmed there were no casualties or equipment losses on its side during that specific engagement, though human intelligence later indicated the insurgents suffered several casualties.

Meanwhile, in Kukawa, insurgents launched a coordinated multi-pronged assault but were ultimately overpowered. “Overpowered by superior fire and coordinated resistance from ground troops and air support, the terrorists withdrew dragging away casualties,” Uba said.

A subsequent exploitation of the area led to the recovery of 13 AK-47 rifles, 16 loaded magazines, and three handheld radios.

The military, however, recorded a loss during the operations, confirming that one soldier was killed in action. Some equipment was also destroyed by rocket-propelled grenades. Wounded personnel have been evacuated and are reported to be in stable condition.

“The sustained and synchronised operations across multiple fronts underscore OPHK’s resolve to degrade terrorists’ combat capacity,” Uba added, noting that the military high command has commended the troops and urged them to maintain the operational tempo.