Troops Repel Five-pronged Attack, Kill 80 Terrorists in Borno
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, have repelled a coordinated five-pronged attack by terrorists on Mallam Fatori in Borno State, killing no fewer than 80 insurgents.
The military said the attack occurred in the early hours of Wednesday in Sector 3, with the insurgents advancing in large numbers on foot and deploying armed drones in an attempt to overrun troops’ positions.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Media Information Officer, Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the assault was directed at locations of troops, particularly along the frontage of Bravo Company from the Duguri axis.
Uba said troops, having maintained full situational awareness, anticipated the attack and prepared an offensive-defensive response to neutralise the insurgents.
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He said, “The terrorists were met with overwhelming resistance as troops executed a coordinated operation, engaging and routing the attackers in disarray.”
According to him, no fewer than 80 terrorists were neutralised during the engagement through superior firepower, disciplined control and tactical manoeuvres.
He added that the operation was bolstered by close air support from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, alongside strike missions conducted by allied Nigerien air assets, which targeted fleeing insurgents.
The military said exploitation of the area after the encounter led to the recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition, including 52 AK-47 rifles, eight PKT machine guns, seven rocket-propelled grenade tubes and five general-purpose machine guns.
Other items recovered include over 3,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 21 RPG bombs, nine improvised explosive devices, communication radios, magazines and components of armed drones.
Despite the intensity of the attack, Uba said only four soldiers were wounded in action and had since been stabilised, while further battle damage assessment was ongoing.
He also disclosed that three top terrorist commanders—Mallam Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram and Abou Ayyuba—were among those killed during the operation.
Several other fighters, including Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, Abu Ali, Abba Gana Kawiyya and Ahmodu Hirasama, were also eliminated.
Uba said the killing of the commanders had significantly disrupted the insurgents’ command structure and operational capability in the area.
He added that the successful defence of Mallam Fatori reiterated the growing combat effectiveness and resilience of troops in the North-East.
The statement dismissed claims that troops were overwhelmed, noting that forces remained in control of all locations and continued to sustain offensive operations.
“The failed attack contradicts recent misleading narratives. Troops remain dominant and maintain control of the battlespace,” he said.
The military high command commended the troops for their gallantry and urged them to sustain the operational tempo, while calling on residents to remain vigilant and disregard unverified reports.
