Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Joint Task Force North East, have rescued 86 kidnapped victims and arrested 29 suspected logistics suppliers of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in Borno State.
The feat, achieved by troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion under Sector 2 OPHK, followed a fierce encounter with terrorists on Saturday, November 9, 2025, along the Buratai–Kamuya Road, where insurgents were abducting civilians and vehicles.
According to the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the troops swiftly engaged the terrorists at Dutse Kura, pursued them toward Mangari, and overpowered them in a follow-up operation near their camp, forcing the insurgents to flee in disarray.
During a search and clearance operation, troops discovered and destroyed 11 makeshift terrorists’ structures and rescued 86 kidnapped men, women, and children from captivity.
Recovered items included one AK-47 rifle, five magazines with 73 rounds, four PKT ammunition belts, five civilian vehicles, five motorcycles, eight bicycles, and two logistics tricycles.
In a related development, troops deployed at Mangada intercepted and arrested 29 terrorist logistics suppliers en route to Chilaria with a large consignment of supplies. Items recovered from the suspects included two pickup vans and a tricycle loaded with about 1,000 litres of petrol, four gallons of engine oil, two new gun truck tyres, medical consumables, and large quantities of foodstuffs and provisions.
Lt. Col. Uba noted that all the operations were executed successfully without any casualty on the part of the troops.
The Military High Command commended the gallantry and professionalism of the soldiers and urged the Operation Hadin Kai formations to sustain the momentum to deny terrorists freedom of action across the North East theatre.