Troops of Sector 2 under Operation HADIN KAI have thwarted an attempt by suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) members to extort money from residents in Yobe State, killing one suspected terrorist and recovering weapons, ammunition, and other logistics items.
According to the military, the operation disrupted another source of funding for the insurgent group by preventing the planned collection of illegal levies from local communities.
In a statement issued by the Acting Military Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North East), Captain Mohammed Goni, the operation was launched after intelligence reports indicated that terrorists were travelling in two Volkswagen Golf vehicles and motorcycles to collect illegal taxes from civilians.
Troops from the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bukarti, working alongside the 27 Task Force Brigade, carried out an offensive patrol along the Paya Kafiya axis on July 19, 2026, where they encountered the suspected terrorists and engaged them in a gun battle.
During the exchange of fire, one of the vehicles used by the insurgents was disabled. The military said the driver was killed, while four other suspects escaped into nearby bushes with gunshot wounds after abandoning the vehicle.
Follow-up operations conducted the next day along the Paya Kafiya–Garin Gada route led to the recovery of the abandoned vehicle and several items believed to support terrorist activities.
Recovered items included 25 rounds of belted PKT ammunition, a loaded AK-47 magazine, 15 empty PKT ammunition casings, assorted drugs such as paracetamol and nicotine products, as well as mechanical tools reportedly used for logistics and operational support.
The military described the operation as another successful intelligence-led mission that disrupted terrorist logistics and cut off an important source of illegal revenue used to finance insurgent activities.
Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP across the North-East, stressing that it will continue working with other security agencies and the public to restore lasting peace and security in the region.
