Several terrorists, including some of their key leaders, were neutralised during midnight attacks by troops of Operation Hadin Kai as insurgents attempted to overrun four military locations across Borno State.
The attacks reportedly lasted for more than five hours between Thursday and Friday around Konduga, Marte, Jakana and Mainok.
In a statement, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Sanni Uba, explained that the assaults began at about 10 p.m. on Thursday and continued until around 3 a.m. on Friday.
He said troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East) successfully repelled the coordinated attempts by terrorists to overrun military positions in the affected communities.
According to Uba, the desperate attacks were launched between approximately 10:30 p.m. on Thursday and 3 a.m. on Friday, but the attackers encountered strong resistance from alert troops who held their defensive positions despite the intensity of the assaults.
“In a well-coordinated response, the troops executed simultaneous flanking manoeuvres alongside reinforcement teams drawn from Sectors 1 and 2, decisively routing the attacking terrorists and forcing them into disorganised withdrawals,” he said.
The spokesperson added that in a few isolated cases where sections of the defensive perimeter were briefly breached, troops quickly launched counter-attacks and regained full control of their positions.
He stated that several terrorist leaders, including key Amirs (leaders), were neutralised during the fierce engagements, while other insurgent fighters were eliminated during the counter-offensive.
Uba also noted that some structures within the affected locations sustained damage during the heavy gun battles, but all military bases remain firmly under the control of Operation Hadin Kai troops.
He explained that multiple precision air strikes were carried out overnight against fleeing terrorist elements and identified hostile positions in close coordination with the Air Component, further neutralising scores of insurgents and weakening their fighting capability.
According to him, ground troops are currently conducting follow-up exploitation operations across the affected areas, with the recovery of terrorist bodies, weapons and other combat equipment ongoing.
However, he said a number of soldiers paid the supreme price during the operation, including an officer who reportedly fought from the front while leading his troops against the attackers.
Uba added that their sacrifice reflects the continued commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces to defending the country and protecting innocent citizens.
