Troops of the Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai have recorded a major breakthrough in the ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in the North-East, neutralising at least ten Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in a fierce gun battle near the Nigeria–Cameroon border in Borno State.
The operation, which was carried out between Rann and Gamboru Ngala, specifically around the Manawaji axis in the southern Lake Chad region, led to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition believed to have been stolen from an earlier attack on Cameroonian security forces.
This was made known in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations at the Theatre Command Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Kovangiya. He revealed that the offensive was part of a larger strategy to dislodge terrorists from their hideouts and restore lasting peace across the region.
According to the statement, troops made contact with the insurgents during a well-coordinated sweep of the area. An intense firefight ensued, during which the troops, acting on credible intelligence, overpowered the insurgents and eliminated ten fighters identified as part of a group responsible for recent attacks and disruptions in the region.
In addition to neutralising the terrorists, the troops reportedly seized a variety of dangerous weapons, including anti-aircraft rounds and other ammunition, which intelligence suggests were looted from an assault on Cameroonian forces across the border.
Kovangiya commended the troops for their bravery and operational efficiency, noting that their actions reflect the renewed commitment of the military to ending terrorism in the North-East. He reiterated that the Nigerian Army, under the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff, remains committed to maintaining pressure on the terrorists and denying them any safe haven or freedom of movement within the region.
“The gallant troops have vowed to sustain the momentum of these offensives and will continue to intensify operations aimed at uprooting ISWAP/Boko Haram elements from every inch of Nigerian territory,” the statement added.
The Theatre Command assured the public that Operation HADIN KAI will continue to carry out robust clearance operations until total peace is restored in Borno State and the wider Lake Chad basin.
