Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have foiled an early-morning infiltration attempt by terrorists advancing from the Mandara Mountains into Bitta community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, killing several insurgents and significantly degrading their operational capacity.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, who said the encounter occurred in the early hours of Thursday.
According to him, troops, supported by advanced surveillance assets, detected the movement of the terrorists at about 12:30 a.m. on December 18, 2025, as they advanced toward the area.
“Exercising tactical restraint and professionalism, the troops allowed the terrorists to move into an effective engagement range before unleashing coordinated defensive fire,” Uba said.
“The engagement resulted in the neutralisation of several insurgents, including a top terrorist fighter and his cameraman.”
He added that surviving terrorists attempted to withdraw after the initial clash, but were pursued through follow-on precision air strikes carried out by the Air Component of OPHK. The strikes, he said, further decimated the fleeing elements and disrupted their escape routes.
Items recovered from the scene included a camcorder, AK-47 rifles, bandoliers, handheld radios, 11 AK-47 magazines loaded with ammunition, seven mobile phones, PKT machine guns, several belts of PKT and GPMG linked ammunition, as well as motorcycles and bicycles.
Lt. Col. Uba disclosed that further exploitation of the area revealed multiple blood trails and shallow graves, indicating that the terrorists suffered additional casualties during both the ground engagement and the subsequent air strikes.
He said the successful operation underscores the sustained efforts of troops to deny terrorists freedom of movement and protect communities across the North-East.
About the Author
