Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in Borno State have killed a terrorist leader, his cameraman, and several other insurgents during an attempted attack on a military base.
The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North East), Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, disclosed in a statement on Friday that the operation took place on Thursday. The terrorists, operating from the Mandara Mountains, attempted to infiltrate a military base in Bitta but were detected by advanced surveillance systems around 0030 hours.
Troops allowed the insurgents to advance into an effective engagement range before unleashing coordinated defensive fire, neutralising the key terrorist figures and several others. As some insurgents attempted to retreat, precision strikes by OPHK’s Air Component further disrupted their escape.
Following the engagement, troops recovered significant equipment and logistics, including a camcorder, AK-47 rifles, bandoliers, handheld radios, 11 AK-47 magazines with rounds, seven mobile phones, PKT machine guns, belts of PKT and GPMG-linked ammunition, motorcycles, and bicycles. Blood trails and shallow graves indicated additional insurgent casualties during the encounter and air strikes.
Lt. Col. Uba emphasised that troops’ morale and operational efficiency remain high as operations continue to deny terrorists freedom of movement and protect communities within the area.
