Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have successfully repelled coordinated attacks launched by suspected ISWAP terrorists on military positions in Njimtilo, Baga, Buratai, and Damboa in Borno State, inflicting heavy casualties on the insurgents and recovering a cache of weapons and equipment.
According to a statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), the attacks occurred in the early hours of March 16, 2026, when the terrorists launched simultaneous assaults from multiple directions in what was described as a desperate attempt to overrun troops’ locations and gain propaganda advantage.
The military said the terrorists first attempted to infiltrate positions at Ajiri Cross, ahead of Njimtilo, where troops of Sector 1 had already anticipated the move and adopted a deliberate offensive-defensive posture.
“Through coordinated firepower and tactical manoeuvre designed to disrupt the attackers and cut off their withdrawal routes, the terrorists were routed and forced into a disorganised retreat while suffering heavy casualties,” the statement said.
Similar attacks at Baga, Buratai, and Damboa were also decisively repelled as troops brought superior firepower to bear on the attackers.
The operation was further reinforced by close air support from the Air Component and Nigerian Army Aviation, whose precision strikes disrupted the terrorists’ assault formations and compounded their losses as they attempted to withdraw.
Military authorities disclosed that several terrorists were neutralised, including a key ISWAP commander who reportedly led the assault on Buratai, while many others fled with gunshot wounds along withdrawal routes.
Despite the intensity of the firefights, which reportedly led to the destruction of some equipment and left a number of troops wounded, the military said all attacked locations remained firmly under the control of troops, who have continued exploitation operations in pursuit of the fleeing insurgents.
Following the failed assaults, troops conducted follow-up operations around Baga, extending to Korochara and Garin Giwa towards the Gidan Kaje general area.
During the exploitation, troops recovered a significant cache of enemy weapons and logistics items, including:
- 3 PKT machine guns
- 7 AK-47 rifles
- 206 rounds of PKT ammunition
- 418 rounds of anti-aircraft ammunition
- 7 AK-47 magazines
- 3 AK-74 magazines
- 3 RPG bombs
Other items recovered included:
- 2 camel bags
- 3 head warmers
- 1 blanket
- 1 magazine carrier
- 1 litre of engine oil
Troops also destroyed 3 motorcycles believed to have been used by the terrorists.
In a further indication of the scale of the losses suffered by the insurgents, the military said 7 terrorist corpses were recovered, while the fleeing fighters reportedly buried another 20 bodies in shallow graves during their retreat.
The military described the failed attacks as further evidence of the “growing desperation” of terrorist elements under sustained operational pressure across the North-East.
“These successive defeats have significantly constrained the terrorists’ freedom of action and disrupted their attempts to create false propaganda narratives,” the statement added.
Operation HADIN KAI reassured residents that all affected locations remain secure and under military control, while urging the public to remain vigilant and disregard fake reports or disinformation aimed at undermining ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
