Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have disclosed that three high-profile terrorist commanders were among those killed during a failed coordinated five-pronged terrorist attack on military positions in Mallam Fatori, Borno State.
The military said the foiled assault, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, ended with the neutralisation of over 80 insurgents, including key commanders identified as Mallam Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram, and Abou Ayyuba.
Several other identified fighters were also reportedly eliminated during the fierce engagement. They include Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, Abu Ali, Abba Gana Kawiyya, and Ahmodu Hirasama.
According to the military, the terrorists launched a simultaneous assault on troops of the 68 Battalion in Sector 3, with the Bravo Company position coming under heavy attack from the Duguri general area. The insurgents were said to have advanced in large numbers on foot while also deploying armed drones in an attempt to breach the defensive lines.
In a statement issued by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the troops had anticipated the attack and prepared what he described as an “offensive-defensive battle” that decisively defeated the attackers.
He said the insurgents were met with disciplined fire control, coordinated manoeuvre, and superior tactical execution, which disrupted their advance and forced them into disarray.
The operation was further reinforced by precision close air support from the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, as well as rapid strike missions by allied Nigerien air assets, which mounted additional pressure on the fleeing terrorists.
Following the encounter, troops exploited the battle area and recovered a large cache of weapons and combat equipment. Recovered items included 52 AK-47 rifles, eight PKT machine guns, seven RPG tubes, five General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), over 3,000 rounds of assorted 7.62mm ammunition, 21 RPG bombs, nine locally fabricated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), several magazines, communication radios, and components of armed drones used by the terrorists.
Despite the scale of the attack, the military said casualties on the side of troops were minimal, with four soldiers wounded in action. The wounded personnel were reportedly stabilised, while further battle damage assessment of the air interdictions remains ongoing.
The military described the outcome as a major operational setback for the terrorist network, stressing that the elimination of the commanders and several fighters had significantly disrupted the insurgents’ command structure and operational capacity in the axis.
Operation Hadin Kai said the victory further reflects the growing combat effectiveness, resilience, and tactical superiority of its forces across the North-East theatre.
The command also dismissed what it described as misleading propaganda suggesting that troops were overwhelmed or suffering setbacks, insisting that military forces remain firmly in control of all locations and continue to dominate the battlespace through sustained offensive operations and strong joint force coordination.
Operation Hadin Kai reassured residents that the security situation in Mallam Fatori and surrounding communities remains under control, while urging the public to remain vigilant and disregard unverified reports aimed at undermining ongoing military operations.
