Army Foils Boko Haram Attack, Frees 86 Captives and Nabs 29 Terror Aides in Borno

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Joint Task Force North East, have rescued 86 kidnapped victims and apprehended 29 suspected logistics suppliers for terrorists during a series of coordinated operations in Borno State.

The development was disclosed in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday by the task force’s Media Information Officer, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.

According to Uba, soldiers from the 135 Special Forces Battalion under Sector 2 of OPHK encountered Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters on November 9 at Dutse Kura. The troops had intercepted the insurgents who were abducting civilians and seizing vehicles along the Buratai–Kamuya Road.

He explained that the troops swiftly repelled the assault and pursued the fleeing terrorists towards Mangari, engaging them in a follow-up encounter that forced the insurgents to abandon their camp in disarray.

A subsequent search of the area led to the destruction of 11 makeshift terrorist shelters and the successful rescue of 86 captives — men, women, and children.

Recovered items from the operation included one AK-47 rifle, five magazines containing 73 rounds, four PKT ammunition belts, five civilian vehicles, five motorcycles, eight bicycles, and two logistics tricycles. The terrorists’ camp was later destroyed during clearance operations.

In a related mission, troops stationed at Mangada intercepted and arrested 29 terrorist logistics suppliers who were en route to Chilaria with various supplies. Items recovered from them included two pickup vans and a tricycle loaded with about 1,000 litres of petrol, four gallons of engine oil, two new gun truck tyres, a large cache of medical consumables, and assorted foodstuffs and provisions.

Lt. Col. Uba confirmed that all operations were executed without any casualties among the troops.

The Military High Command commended the troops’ bravery and professionalism, urging them to sustain the momentum and deny terrorists any operational freedom across the North-East.

The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying nationwide offensive operations against terrorists, insurgents, and economic saboteurs, recording significant gains within the past 48 hours.