By Olatunbosun Obafemi
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have repelled multiple coordinated attacks by terrorists across parts of Borno and Yobe States, killing more than 50 insurgents in overnight battles that raged between midnight and 4 a.m. on Thursday.
The military said the simultaneous assaults targeted troop positions in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo and Katarko, but were successfully repelled through combined ground and air operations.
In a statement, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East (OPHK), said troops “stood firm, fought gallantly and professionally repelled the attacks, dealing the terrorists a heavy and decisive blow.”
He said precision airstrikes by the Air Component of OPHK, supported by intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets, enabled ground forces to respond with “overwhelming and lethal force.”
According to the statement, more than 50 terrorists were neutralised, while 38 AK-47 rifles, seven PKT machine guns, five RPG tubes, two GPMGs, hand grenades and thousands of rounds of ammunition were recovered. About 70 wounded fighters are reportedly being pursued by troops with aerial support.
Intelligence reports indicated that the terrorists who attacked Dikwa and Gajibo advanced from the Cameroon axis, while those who struck Katarko came from the Timbuktu Triangle, a notorious insurgent enclave.
Some troops sustained injuries but are in stable condition, Uba said, adding that a few vehicles and buildings were destroyed by armed drones and RPG fire, particularly in Mafa and Dikwa where parts of the defences were briefly breached.
The Military High Command has commended the troops for their courage and resilience, describing their performance as proof of the Armed Forces’ determination to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
The statement added that the success was bolstered by the recent deployment of additional personnel and combat equipment to the North East theatre, reinforcing the military’s push to sustain pressure on the remnants of insurgent groups operating in the region.
