TROOPS NEUTRALISE 48 ISWAP TERRORISTS, RECOVER LARGE CACHE OF ARMS IN BITTA, BUNI YADI
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have neutralised 48 terrorists and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition following fierce engagements with Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno and Yobe states.
The operations, which took place between Oct. 29 and 30, 2026, involved the foiling of terrorist attacks on military positions in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and the North East Theatre Training School (NETTS), Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
According to a statement by the Acting Media Information Officer of OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni, troops decisively repelled an attempted terrorist assault on their position in Bitta on the night of Oct. 29.
He said the combined response of ground troops and air support overwhelmed the attackers, disrupted their offensive and inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists.
In a related development, troops launched a successful counter-offensive against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked NETTS Buni Yadi from Oct. 29 into the early hours of Oct. 30.
The statement said the approximately five-hour engagement was coordinated by the Theatre Command, with effective integration of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities alongside air and ground assets.
The operation resulted in the neutralisation of 48 terrorists, while troops recovered a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition abandoned by the fleeing insurgents.
Recovered items include 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), one 60mm mortar, 105 AK-47 magazines and two video cameras.
The troops also recovered 30 rounds of 12.7mm armour-piercing incendiary ammunition, 2,738 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 223 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 2,054 rounds of PKT ammunition.
However, the statement disclosed that one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice during the engagements, while two others sustained minor injuries and were responding to treatment.
The Theatre Command commiserated with the families of the fallen soldier and prayed for the repose of his soul, while wishing the injured personnel a speedy recovery.
It added that the morale of troops remained high as they continued sustained operations against terrorist elements across the theatre.
The latest operational successes, according to the statement, underscored the combat effectiveness, operational coordination and determination of troops to deny terrorists freedom of action.
The statement said the heavy losses suffered by the insurgents and the recovery of their weapons and ammunition constituted another significant setback to their operational capabilities.
Capt. Goni reaffirmed the commitment of Operation HADIN KAI to sustaining offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists across the Northeast.
