Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have reaffirmed their firm control of Ngoshe and the wider Gwoza axis in Borno State, thwarting terrorist propaganda and ensuring residents celebrated Eid-el-Fitr peacefully without disruption.
In a statement issued by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Nigerian Army said Boko Haram/ISWAP elements recently circulated false claims that they would overrun Ngoshe and hold Sallah prayers at the town’s Central Mosque. The military described the threat as a desperate propaganda ploy by a weakened terror group seeking relevance through misinformation and fear.
According to the statement, troops acted swiftly on credible intelligence by reinforcing the area after an attempted incursion on March 4 and intensifying clearance operations around Ngoshe and adjoining communities. Backed by aerial surveillance and intelligence from vigilant residents, the troops disrupted terrorist movements and neutralised several insurgents, further degrading the operational capacity of the group.
The Army said the sustained offensive ensured that Ngoshe and the adjoining Gwoza axis remained calm, secure and firmly under military control throughout the Sallah period, allowing residents to freely observe Eid prayers and celebrate without interference.
In what the military described as a strong show of confidence and authority, troops led by the Commander, 26 Task Force Brigade, Brigadier General N.I. Abdullahi, joined worshippers for Eid prayers at the Ngoshe Central Mosque. The gesture, the Army noted, served to reassure residents and further expose the failure of terrorist propaganda.
The Chief of Army Staff also commended the resilience and cooperation of the local population, noting that community support remains vital to sustaining operational gains in the North-East. The Army urged members of the public to disregard and avoid amplifying terrorist propaganda, describing such narratives as tools used by weakened terror groups to instill fear and undermine security efforts.
The military added that Operation HADIN KAI troops would continue aggressive operations across the theatre to consolidate recent gains, eliminate residual threats and ensure lasting peace and security in the North-East.
