Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have intensified counter-terrorism operations across Nigeria’s North East, recording fresh gains with the neutralisation of insurgents, arrest of suspected collaborators, surrender of a fighter, and the rescue of abducted civilians in Borno State.
The Joint Task Force (North East) disclosed that ongoing offensives under Operation DESERT SANITY V have continued to disrupt terrorist activities across key corridors, including the Sambisa Forest axis and major movement routes. In one of the latest engagements, troops working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force intercepted terrorists moving from Yale towards Sambisa, killing four insurgents during a firefight. The troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, and food supplies believed to be part of the group’s logistics chain, and returned to base without casualties.
Military authorities said sustained pressure through coordinated ground operations along routes such as Dambboa–Maiduguri, Dambboa–Gwoza, and the Goniri axis has significantly restricted the movement and operational capability of terrorist elements in the region.
In a separate development, troops deployed at Kanama arrested two suspected terrorist collaborators during a stop-and-search operation. The suspects were found with items believed to support insurgent logistics, including clothing and personal effects. Preliminary investigations also uncovered digital materials linking them to terrorist networks, and they are currently in custody for further interrogation.
The military also confirmed the surrender of a suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP member at a checkpoint in Kukawa Local Government Area. The individual reportedly claimed he was abducted earlier in the year and forced into joining the group. He is undergoing profiling as part of ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, troops recorded a major humanitarian breakthrough with the rescue of six abducted civilians in Ngoshe community, Gwoza Local Government Area. The victims, comprising women and children, were intercepted around Amuda while troops were returning from an overnight offensive operation on May 1. The area is known as a transit route for terrorist movements.
According to preliminary debriefings, the victims had been abducted during a March 3 attack on Ngoshe and held in captivity at a terrorist enclave in Gava before managing to escape. Troops came under sporadic gunfire from pursuing insurgents during the rescue but responded decisively, forcing the attackers to retreat into the Mandara Mountains.
The rescued individuals were given immediate medical attention before being formally handed over to community authorities. They were later reunited with their families in an emotional ceremony facilitated by the Wali of Ngoshe, Alhaji Shuaibu Dabawa.
Military authorities attributed the success of the rescue to intensified air and ground operations targeting terrorist enclaves, noting that sustained pressure has weakened insurgent cohesion and triggered internal disarray within their ranks.
