Troops Rescue Six Women, Children in Borno’s Mandara Mountains, Neutralise Terrorist

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of the North-East Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), operating within Operation Desert Sanity V/Siege Operations, have rescued six women and children during intensified clearance operations around the Amuda axis of the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

Military authorities confirmed that among those rescued were Maryam Muhammad (20), Ghawa’a Biea (50)—a woman who escaped from terrorist captivity—and Binta Umaru (19), alongside other women and children recovered during separate but coordinated operations in the area.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Maiduguri, the OPHK Media Information Officer, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said troops have continued sustained offensive and stabilisation operations across the theatre, leading to the rescue of abducted civilians, neutralisation of insurgents, and increasing surrender of relatives of terrorist fighters.

According to him, troops conducting operations in the Amuda general area intercepted and rescued two abductees from Ngoshe community—Maryam Muhammad and her infant son, Bello Muhammad (1 year, 4 months)—who were among those kidnapped during the 3 March 2026 attack on Ngoshe.

Preliminary military debrief indicated that the victims were held in a terrorist hideout within the Mandara Mountains before escaping amid heavy pressure from ongoing military offensives that disrupted insurgent positions. The rescued victims were later given medical attention and reunited with their families through community leadership structures in Ngoshe.

In another development, troops operating around Wulgo and the proposed COP Jagarawaji, in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force members, conducted clearance operations across Wulgo, Gumsari, and Hausari general areas. During the raids, troops uncovered indicators of terrorist presence, including makeshift medical facilities, pharmaceutical supplies, 7.62mm ammunition, and a uniform believed to belong to a terrorist commander.

The operation also led to the neutralisation of one insurgent, with no casualties recorded on the side of government forces.

Meanwhile, sustained military pressure has continued to force relatives of insurgents to abandon enclaves. In Gwoza axis, Ghawa’a Biwa (50) reportedly escaped from a terrorist camp in the Mandara Mountains and surrendered to troops of the 192 Battalion, citing hunger, hardship, and continuous military operations as reasons for her decision.

Similarly, Binta Umaru (19) and her two-year-old daughter, Hafsat Ibrahim, also fled another enclave within the Mandara Mountains and surrendered along the Gwoza–Limankara axis. All surrendered individuals have been screened, documented, and are undergoing further profiling in line with established military procedures.

Military authorities say the developments reflect the growing collapse of terrorist logistics and family support structures in the region, particularly within the Mandara Mountains and border communities.

The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining operational pressure on insurgents, rescuing abducted civilians, and restoring lasting peace and stability across the North-East.

The Military High Command also commended frontline troops for their performance, urging them to sustain the momentum in the ongoing counterterrorism operations.

Troops Repel ISWAP Attack, Kill 12 Terrorists on Nigeria-Cameroon Border

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai has repelled a coordinated attack by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, killing 12 insurgents during a fierce gun battle in Kirawa, a border community in Borno State near Cameroon.

The operation, conducted under Operation DESERT SANITY and the ongoing SIEGE OPERATIONS, took place in the early hours of May 22, 2026, when suspected terrorists launched an assault on a military base in the area.

Speaking in Maiduguri on Sunday, the media information officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt Col Sani Uba, said troops swiftly detected the attempted infiltration and responded with overwhelming firepower.

According to him, the insurgents attempted to breach positions occupied by troops of the 153 Task Force Battalion and allied forces along the Nigeria-Cameroon border corridor.

“The attack was swiftly detected and met with overwhelming firepower from alert troops and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), who stood their ground and successfully contained the assault,” Uba stated.

He explained that the terrorists were forced to abandon the operation and retreat toward the Cameroon axis after suffering heavy casualties during the confrontation.

Uba disclosed that intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, alongside air support from the air component of Operation Hadin Kai and partner forces, played a major role in the success of the operation.

Following the encounter, troops confirmed the killing of 12 terrorists, while several others reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds, leaving behind visible blood trails along their withdrawal routes.

Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition from the fleeing insurgents, including AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade systems, ammunition belts and a PKT machine gun.

Military authorities said the recovery of the weapons further weakened the operational capability of the terrorist group in the border area.

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, working closely with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, have continued exploitation and clearance operations in the area to track fleeing terrorists and recover additional equipment.

The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining pressure on insurgent groups throughout the Northeast until they completely dismantled terrorist activities.

The military high command also commended the troops for what it described as gallantry, professionalism and swift response to the attack, urging them to maintain the momentum in ongoing counterterrorism operations.

Troops Kill Six Terrorists, Rescue Abductees, Recover Arms in Borno, Yobe Operations

Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force, under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have intensified offensive operations against insurgents in Borno and Yobe states, killing six terrorists, rescuing two abducted victims, and recovering a cache of arms and explosives during coordinated military raids.

The operations, conducted under Operation DESERT SANITY, also led to the arrest of suspected collaborators and armed robbery suspects across different locations within the theatre of operation.

The media information officer of OPHK, Lt Col Sani Uba, disclosed the development on Saturday in Maiduguri, describing the recent operations as part of sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist networks in the Northeast.

According to him, troops achieved major breakthroughs on May 21, 2026, when they recovered a cache of arms and explosive devices abandoned by fleeing insurgents in the deserted Mazga community along the Buni/Yadi-Biu road in Yobe State.

“The ground troops recorded significant operational successes across the theatre of OPHK, including the neutralisation of six terrorists, the rescue of abducted persons, and the recovery of a cache of arms at Mazga Settlement in Yobe State,” Uba stated.

During separate operations, troops arrested several suspected Boko Haram collaborators and discovered and secured explosive ordnance planted along strategic routes.

Uba further explained that troops, supported by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), launched coordinated offensives in the Valle, Ashigashiya, and Gakara general areas, where they engaged suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters in fierce gun battles.

“During the operations, troops made contact with suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and engaged them with superior firepower, neutralising two insurgents while others fled towards the Ngoshe axis,” he said.

Troops later cleared the affected areas without any military casualties, he noted.

In another operation along the Bravo Kilo 10 axis, troops intercepted suspected terrorists and neutralised one insurgent during an exchange of gunfire. Items recovered from the encounter included a radio set and a mobile phone believed to belong to the fleeing fighters.

The military also recorded success in rescue operations. Troops operating along the Ngoshe–Amuda corridor rescued an eight-year-old boy, Abubakar Mublagha, who was abducted during the March 3, 2026, attack on the Ngoshe community.

Military authorities reported that they medically examined the child and reunited him with his family after the rescue.

Similarly, troops deployed around Uvaha village along the Gwoza–Limankara axis rescued a 20-year-old Fulani man identified as Dahiru Ahamdu.

According to the military, the victim escaped from his captors after intense artillery bombardments targeted terrorist camps within the Mandara Mountains, killing two insurgents and forcing others to flee.

The rescued victim reportedly told troops that he was abducted on May 8, 2026, while grazing cattle at Bororo village in the Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State before being taken to a terrorist hideout.

He has since been reunited with his family after undergoing a medical examination.

In a separate intelligence-led operation at Buni Gari, troops recovered several explosive devices abandoned by fleeing terrorists in the Magza area. The recovered items included four 40mm RPG bombs, one 81mm mortar bomb, and four 60mm mortar bombs.

Explosive ordnance disposal teams later secured the explosives.

Meanwhile, troops arrested a suspected collaborator identified as Kuti Muhammad, said to be a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force, over alleged links with terrorist groups.

In another security operation at Garin Gwigwi village in the Biu Local Government Area, troops responded to a reported armed robbery incident and arrested three suspects identified as Aliyu Mamadu, Umar Mohammed, and Adamu Aliyu.

Recovered items from the suspects included mobile phones, suspected illicit substances, charms, jewellery, cash, a dagger, a Quranic booklet, and a locally manufactured firearm.

The military also confirmed the recovery of a Dane gun earlier reported stolen, which was returned to its owner after proper verification, while investigations continue to track down other fleeing suspects.