80 terrorists crushed by troops in Borno night bombing
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday recorded another major success against insurgents in a fierce battle in Borno State. No fewer than eighty
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday recorded another major success against insurgents in a fierce battle in Borno State.
No fewer than eighty insurgents - including three high-profile commanders - were neutralised by ground troops with air support from the NAF.
The battle, according to Operation Hadin Kai spokesman Lt. Col. Sani Uba, took place at Mallam Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area.
Lt. Col. Uba gave the names of the killed commanders as Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram and Abou Ayyuba.
Other insurgents eliminated included Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, Abu Ali, Abba Gana Kawiyya and Ahmodu Hirasama.
The Mallam Fatori operation came hours before the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, and Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Maj.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, joined Inspector-General of Police Tunde Disu in Maiduguri, in compliance with the directive of Bola Ahmed Tinubu for security chiefs to relocate to the state after Monday’s multiple suicide attacks, which left 23 persons dead and 108 injured.
The Operation Hadin Kai spokesman said in a statement that the terrorists advanced on foot, supported by drones, from the Duguri general area of Mallam Fatori to infiltrate the 68 Battalion’s main defensive position but were repelled at about 12:50 a.m.
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He said the troops anticipated the attack and launched a coordinated “offensive-defensive operation” to decisively defeat the attackers.
He said: “Through disciplined fire control, coordinated manoeuvre and superior tactical execution, the attackers were engaged, disrupted and routed in disarray, with no fewer than 80 terrorists neutralised during the engagement.
“Additionally, the firefight was reinforced by precision close air support from the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, complemented by rapid strike passes from allied Nigerien air assets, which compounded the pressure on the fleeing insurgents.”
He added that troops recovered 52 AK-47 rifles, eight PKT machine guns, seven RPG tubes and five general-purpose machine guns (GPMGs).
Over 3,000 rounds of assorted 7.62mm ammunition, 21 RPG bombs, nine locally fabricated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), magazines, communication radios and components of armed drones were also recovered.
Lt. Col. Uba said that despite the intensity of the attack, the military recorded minimal casualties, with four soldiers wounded.
He added: “While follow-on battle damage assessment of air interdictions remains ongoing, the elimination of these commanders and fighters represents a severe disruption to the terrorist command structure and operational capability within the axis.”
Meanwhile, NAF airstrikes on Tuesday destroyed terrorist hideouts in Abirma and the southern axis of the Lake Chad region in Borno State.
NAF spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said surveillance revealed insurgents’ movements around concealed structures hidden under dense vegetation, a tactic used to evade detection.
“Following positive target identification and rigorous verification in line with established procedures, NAF air assets executed precision strikes on the identified locations,” he said.
“The targets were engaged with precision munitions, destroying multiple terrorist structures and disruption of their activities.
“Preliminary battle damage assessment indicates that the strikes significantly degraded the terrorists’ capacity to use the location as a staging ground for attacks across the Lake Chad Basin.”
CDS Oluyede, CAS Shuaibu in Maiduguri
On arrival in Maiduguri, the CDS, Lt. Gen. Oluyede, called on residents of Borno and Yobe states to take ownership of the fight against terrorism.
He stressed that community involvement remained critical to ending insurgency in the Northeast, noting that the recent upsurge in attacks was not unexpected.
“It is true that there has been an upsurge in attacks within the Northeast in the last one month. This is not new; it often comes with Ramadan,” he said.
“However, we are doing our very best to checkmate the situation and will continue to do so.”
He said the military was working on new strategies to prevent a recurrence.
“Why I am here is to ensure that going forward, this will not repeat itself. We are looking at modalities to prevent this from happening again,” he added.
The CDS emphasised that lasting success would depend on cooperation from local communities.
“For us to end these acts of terrorism, the people of Borno and Yobe must take ownership of the problem. Many of those involved are from these states—we know them,” he said.
He also noted that insurgents were increasingly deploying technology such as drones, prompting the military to adapt.
“This war is evolving, and we are responding accordingly. We are deploying drone jammers and studying these technologies to counter them effectively,” he said.
He added that efforts were ongoing to acquire more advanced equipment.
NGF urges coordinated security approach
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) yesterday called for sustained vigilance and better coordination among security agencies.
In a statement by its Chairman, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the forum expressed shock over the attacks.
“We are deeply shocked and heartbroken by the terrorist attacks in Maiduguri, resulting in the loss of innocent lives,” he said.
“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
He assured Babagana Zulum of the forum’s support, describing the attacks as a grave violation of national peace and security.
ACF demands security overhaul
The Arewa Consultative Forum condemned recent attacks in Borno, Plateau and other parts of the country.
It called for an overhaul of security strategies to prevent the nation from sliding into anarchy and urged authorities to demonstrate stronger political will in tackling terrorism and banditry.
