Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have recorded major operational gains in Borno State, dismantling several terrorist camps, repelling coordinated attacks, and recovering a cache of weapons and logistics equipment from insurgents.
In a statement released on Monday, the spokesperson of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant-Colonel Sani Uba, said the successes were achieved under the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity.
According to Uba, advancing troops came under armed drone attacks by terrorists around midday but remained undeterred, maintaining their offensive momentum. A second drone-assisted attack later in the evening was also decisively repelled, forcing the insurgents to withdraw.
He added that troops successfully thwarted coordinated ground assaults by terrorists operating within the Timbuktu Triangle.
“On Sunday, 18 January 2026, troops advanced from their harbour area and conducted deliberate, intelligence-driven operations across several identified terrorist enclaves, including Chilaria, Garin Faruk, and Abirma,” Uba said.
The operation was supported by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, which provided sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) coverage across the axis. This air-ground synergy enabled real-time tracking of terrorist movements, disrupted enemy reinforcements, and significantly enhanced the precision and effectiveness of ground troops.
During the clearance operations, troops recovered items of high military value, including Baofeng radios, mobile phones, five AK-47 magazines, multiple rounds of 7.62×39mm special ammunition, and 7.62mm NATO belted ammunition.
Additional recoveries included Boko Haram and ISWAP flags, links of 12.7×108mm ammunition, diesel-powered grinding machines, large quantities of medical supplies, several bags of grains, a pickup truck, underground logistics storage facilities, and a Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) dump.
These seizures, the statement noted, have further degraded the operational and logistical capabilities of the terrorists.
Uba reaffirmed the commitment of troops to sustain the offensive against insurgent groups, protect civilian populations, and restore lasting peace and stability across the North-East.
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