Airstrikes Deal Heavy Blow to Terrorists as 50 Boko Haram, ISWAP Fighters Killed in Borno Border Battle

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

The air component of the Northeast Joint Task Force under Operation Hadin Kai has killed more than 50 terrorists belonging to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province in Ngoshe, following multiple precision airstrikes that targeted insurgents fleeing a failed attack on a Nigerian Army position.

Security sources in Maiduguri disclosed on Thursday that the insurgents had launched a coordinated evening assault on Nigerian Army artillery positions in Ngoshe at about 7:30 p.m. on March 3.

The border community, located about 12 kilometres south of Pulka, has been repeatedly attacked by insurgents between 2013 and 2024, forcing many residents to seek refuge across the border in Cameroon for over a decade.

According to a military officer who spoke on condition of anonymity, the insurgents attempted to overrun the artillery position through a surprise assault.

“The terrorists tried to seize the artillery location during the evening attack,” the officer said.

The counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama reported that troops on the ground carried out what the military described as a “tactical withdrawal under intense fire” to protect personnel and equipment while reinforcements were mobilised to secure Ngoshe and nearby border communities.

Sources said the attackers employed a hit-and-withdraw tactic, retreating from the scene before reinforcement troops could fully secure the area.

However, surveillance aircraft tracked the fleeing fighters along identified escape corridors leading toward the Mandara Mountains and the notorious Sambisa Forest.

“Upon receiving real-time intelligence from ground forces, air assets were deployed to engage the terrorists along their escape routes,” the officer said.

According to the source, the insurgents were seen moving in clusters at two different locations, prompting the deployment of precision strikes.

“Precision strikes were carried out on confirmed target clusters and movement trails. Battle damage assessment indicates that more than 50 terrorists were killed in two separate strike runs,” he added.

The coordinated ground-air response under Operation Hadin Kai lasted for about an hour, significantly disrupting the insurgents’ logistics and mobility along the Ngoshe–Pulka axis.

Military sources confirmed that clearance and area-domination operations are currently underway to prevent surviving fighters from regrouping.

The Ngoshe–Gwoza axis has remained volatile in recent years due to sporadic activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP remnants who often exploit the rugged terrain and cross-border forest zones.

The military, however, reaffirmed its resolve to sustain pressure on the insurgents.

“Operation Hadin Kai remains committed to sustaining offensive pressure. The message is clear: any attempt to attack our positions will be met with overwhelming and coordinated firepower,” the officer said.

He also reassured residents of Gwoza and surrounding communities of the military’s continued commitment to protecting lives, supporting resettlement efforts and consolidating gains recorded in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in Borno State.

 Troops Repel ISWAP Assaults, Neutralise 10 Insurgents in Borno–Yobe Corridor

Troops of the Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have killed 10 fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after repelling coordinated attacks on military positions across parts of Borno and Yobe states.

The encounters occurred between February 28 and March 1, 2026, along the Gajiram–Gajigana–Mayanti–Dadinjel axis, where insurgents attempted simultaneous assaults on Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in the Lake Chad region.

In a statement issued Monday in Maiduguri, OPHK’s Media Information Officer, Lt-Col. Sani Uba, said the troops successfully foiled multiple offensives targeted at military formations in Mayanti, Gajigana, Gajiram and Dadinjel.

“Our troops once again demonstrated exceptional resilience and battlefield dominance by decisively frustrating coordinated ISWAP attacks on our Forward Operating Bases,” Uba said.

He explained that the assaults, launched late on February 28 and continuing into the early hours of March 1, reflected mounting pressure on insurgent enclaves and supply routes due to sustained military offensives.

According to him, soldiers at Gajigana maintained firm control of their defensive positions after pushing back the attackers, while intense gun battles in Mayanti and Gajiram led to heavy casualties on the insurgents’ side and the seizure of significant weapons.

Detailing the Mayanti incident, Uba disclosed that the base came under heavy fire from a large number of fighters on February 28. Despite the intensity of the attack, troops held their ground until reinforcements arrived.

“The reinforcement team navigated through ambushes and improvised explosive device threats to overpower the terrorists,” he said.

Military exploitation of the area reportedly led to the recovery of five bodies and an array of arms, including three PKT anti-aircraft guns, two RPG-7 launchers, four AK-47 rifles, two FN rifles, several rocket-propelled grenades and large quantities of 7.62mm ammunition. Bloodstains along escape routes suggested additional casualties among the fleeing insurgents.

In a separate incident at about 1:15 a.m. on March 1, terrorists armed with heavy weapons and drones attacked the Gajiram base but were repelled with support from fighter jets of the Nigerian Air Force. Three more insurgent bodies were recovered along their withdrawal path.

Other items retrieved after the Gajiram encounter included four AK-47 rifles, anti-tank explosives, locally fabricated mortar bombs, an armed drone, loaded ammunition magazines, barbed wire cutters and other combat equipment abandoned during the retreat.

The statement noted that one officer lost his life during the operations, while a wounded soldier was airlifted by a military helicopter to a hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, under Sector 2’s ongoing offensive tagged Operation Desert Sanity V, troops engaged fleeing insurgents at Kayawa village, forcing them to abandon a tricycle, three motorcycles and five bicycles. Soldiers also dismantled identified support structures and arrested two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers. Medical supplies and drugs allegedly used to treat wounded fighters were recovered during the raid.

Uba reaffirmed that the sustained operations across the Lake Chad region and Sambisa axis are aimed at denying terrorists freedom of movement and dismantling their operational networks.

“OPHK remains committed to maintaining offensive momentum until lasting peace and security are fully restored in the northeast,” he said.

UK, Germany Renew Backing for Nigeria’s Counter-Terror War

The governments of the United Kingdom and Germany have reiterated their readiness to continue supporting Nigeria’s campaign against terrorism and insurgency.

The renewed pledge was conveyed during a visit by the two countries’ Defence Attachés to the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

In a statement released on Thursday, the media information officer of the operation, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, disclosed that the UK Defence Attaché, Brig. Gen. Tom Harper, and his German counterpart, Col. Boris Bovecamp, used the occasion to reaffirm their nations’ commitment to strengthening cooperation with Nigeria in tackling security threats.

According to the statement, the visit marked a significant engagement between the foreign defence representatives and the theatre command of Operation Hadin Kai. The envoys expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in the Northeast region.

Uba noted that Brig. – Gen. Harper spoke of the long-standing ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, describing the relationship as one built on mutual respect and shared values.

He added that the British envoy underscored the importance both nations attach to upholding democratic principles, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law, even as they confront the challenges posed by terrorism.

The visit, military sources say, further reflects growing international collaboration aimed at supporting Nigeria’s determination to defeat insurgency and secure lasting peace in affected communities.