Joint Task Force North East Achieves Major Success in Borno State
Troops from the Joint Task Force North East, under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have made significant progress in combating terrorism in Borno State. The operation has successfully rescued 86 kidnap victims, foiled an ambush, and arrested 29 logistics suppliers of terrorists.
According to a statement by the media information officer of the Joint Task Force North East, Lt-Col Sani Uba, the operations were carried out without any casualties among the troops. The 135 Special Forces Battalion, operating under Sector 2 OPHK, encountered Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists at Dutse Kura on 9 November 2025. This encounter followed intelligence reports about the abduction of civilians and vehicles along the Buratai-Kamuya Road.
The troops managed to thwart the attack, pursue the terrorists toward Mangari, and overpower them in a follow-up encounter near a camp. This forced the insurgents to flee in disarray. A search of the area led to the discovery of 11 makeshift terrorist structures and the rescue of 86 kidnapped individuals, including men, women, and children.
The recovered items included:* One AK-47 rifle* Five magazines with 73 rounds* Four PKT ammunition belts* Five civilian vehicles* Five motorcycles* Eight bicycles* Two logistics tricycles
The terrorists’ camp was subsequently destroyed.
In another operation, troops stationed at Mangada arrested 29 logistics suppliers of terrorists en route to Chilaria. The recovered items included:* Two pickup vans and a tricycle loaded with Premium Motor Spirit* Approximately 1,000 litres of petrol in jerricans* Four gallons of engine oil* Two new gun truck tyres* A substantial cache of medical supplies* Large quantities of foodstuffs and provisions
Nigerian Air Force Conducts Precision Strikes Across Northern States
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has also taken decisive action against terrorist networks. On 9 November 2025, NAF airstrikes eliminated scores of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram, Borno State. Additionally, bandit enclaves in Garin Dandi and Chigogo, Kwara State, as well as Zango Hill in Kankara local government area of Katsina State, were destroyed.
A statement by the NAF spokesman, Air Cdre Ehimen Ejodame, highlighted that these coordinated missions were conducted following credible intelligence. The missions are part of ongoing joint operations under Operation HADIN KAI and Operation FANSAN YAMMA, aimed at degrading terrorist and criminal networks across Nigeria’s northern theatres.
In Borno State, NAF airstrikes targeted ISWAP terrorists entrenched in the Northern Tumbuns. Using real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) feeds, precision strikes were conducted southeast of Shuwaram before shifting to Mallam Fatori, where ISWAP elements were observed mobilising with motorcycles and boats along the Lake Chad Basin.
The strikes destroyed insurgent hideouts, logistics hubs, and weapons storage facilities, eliminating several terrorists and crippling their mobility capabilities. Post-strike assessments confirmed multiple neutralisations and a significant degradation of ISWAP’s operational networks in the area.
In Kwara State, NAF aircraft carried out precision air interdiction missions over Garin Dandi and Chigogo, striking bandit camps with devastating accuracy based on credible intelligence. The attacks caused panic and inflicted heavy losses among the criminals.
In a related operation, air assets under Operation FANSAN YAMMA struck Zango Hill in Kankara LGA, Katsina State, targeting the hideout of a terrorist kingpin and his fighters. The aircraft, guided by actionable intelligence and ISR surveillance, executed multiple attack passes destroying key logistics hubs and neutralising several of the terrorists in one of the most decisive strikes in the region.
Enhanced Airpower for National Security
The director of the NAF highlighted the success of these precision operations across Borno, Kwara, Katsina, and the wider northwestern corridor. These operations reflect the renewed tempo of the Nigerian Air Force following the directives of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke.
“Each mission reaffirms NAF’s resolve to project smarter and intelligence-driven airpower to project purposeful lethality against insurgents and criminals while protecting the lives and properties of citizens towards enhancing national security,” he added.