By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have foiled an attempted attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on a military formation in Mandaragirau, Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attack was repelled in the early hours of today Saturday, along the Damboa-Biu road, with the military reporting that several terrorists were killed and a number of weapons and other equipment recovered.

In a statement issued in Maiduguri, the Acting Media Information Officer of OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni, said troops of the 162 Amphibious Battalion successfully defended their Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mandaragirau against the attackers.

According to him, the terrorists launched a coordinated assault on the military position from two directions at about 2am.

He said troops detected the advancing fighters through early-warning and surveillance systems before deploying a combat team to intercept one of the groups.

“Contact was made, resulting in a heavy exchange of fire during which the combat team decisively defeated the attackers on that front,” Mr Goni said.

He added that another group attempted to circumvent the ambush team and infiltrate the military camp but was stopped by troops who responded with superior firepower.

The military spokesman said the coordinated response forced the terrorists to retreat towards the Timbuktu Triangle, with troops immediately launching a pursuit and combing the area and the routes used by the fleeing fighters.

The operation also led to the recovery of seven AK-47 rifles and ammunition, alongside other military hardware, according to the statement.

Other items recovered included a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, RPG bombs and chargers, a camcorder and other equipment believed to have been used by the terrorists.

Mr Goni said surveillance footage obtained after the encounter showed some of the fleeing terrorists attempting to drag the bodies of their dead colleagues towards the Timbuktu Triangle.

He described the operation as another demonstration of the troops’ preparedness and combat capability in confronting terrorist groups operating in the Northeast.

The Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai commended the soldiers of the 162 Amphibious Battalion for what it described as their courage, professionalism and tactical effectiveness in repelling the attack.

The command also reaffirmed its determination to sustain offensive operations against terrorist groups and prevent them from gaining freedom of action across the Northeast.

Operation Hadin Kai, the military said, remains committed to dominating the operational environment and restoring lasting peace and security in the region.

NAF Kills Nine ISWAP Fighters, Senior Commander in Borno Airstrike

The Nigerian Air Force has killed nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander, in an airstrike on a terrorist hideout in Borno State.

The operation, conducted on Saturday in the Sambisa Forest, followed intelligence reports indicating the movement of suspected insurgents in the area.

The NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

He said the military first deployed a remotely piloted aircraft to monitor the suspected fighters and establish their location before launching the strike.

“Following positive identification and confirmation of the target, NAF aircraft conducted a precision engagement on the location,” Mr Ejodame said.

According to him, a post-strike assessment showed that the targeted compound was extensively damaged, with nine ISWAP members killed and several others injured.

Among those killed was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, whom the NAF described as a key commander responsible for providing security escorts to senior ISWAP leaders.

Mr Ejodame said the commander’s death could significantly affect the group’s ability to protect and move its high-ranking members, particularly because of his knowledge of routes and terrain connecting terrorist positions within Sambisa Forest and neighbouring areas.

The NAF also said intelligence gathered from the operation indicated that some of the fighters targeted may have been linked to the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.

The Air Force said the operation reflected the growing role of intelligence-led aerial surveillance in tracking terrorist movements and striking their positions before they can reorganise.

It added that the loss of the fighters, particularly the senior commander, was expected to disrupt ISWAP’s internal security arrangements, movement of high-value operatives and coordination among its various enclaves.

Mr Ejodame said the NAF would continue to conduct intelligence-based air operations in coordination with ground troops as part of efforts to weaken terrorist networks and protect communities across the North-east.

Wanted Soldier Arrested While Allegedly Fleeing to Cameroon Over Terror Links–Army

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have arrested a serving soldier who was recently declared wanted by the Nigerian Army over his alleged involvement in supplying military accoutrements to terrorists and other criminal elements operating in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The suspect, identified as Private Mohammed Yusuf of the Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, was apprehended by troops of the 7 Provost Group of Operation Hadin Kai at Jidari Bus Stop in Maiduguri, Borno State, while allegedly attempting to flee to the Republic of Cameroon.

The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Muhammed Goni, who said the operation followed credible human intelligence.

According to the military, Yusuf was arrested at about 6:30 p.m. on July 25, 2026, two days after he was officially declared wanted by the Nigerian Army over allegations of illegally supplying military uniforms and other military items to terrorists and criminal groups.

Captain Goni disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated the suspect had absconded from his unit on July 7, 2026, before relocating to Maiduguri, where he allegedly went into hiding in the Gomari Costain area of Jere Local Government Area with the assistance of an associate.

He said the arrest forms part of the military’s sustained efforts to dismantle criminal support networks aiding insurgents in the Northeast.

“The arrest underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-driven operations and the Nigerian Army’s commitment to holding personnel accountable for actions that undermine military ethics, discipline and national security,” Goni said.

He added that the suspect remains in the custody of the 7 Provost Group, where investigators are working to determine the full extent of his alleged activities and identify any accomplices.

The military reiterated that no individual, regardless of rank or status, would be shielded from justice if found to be supporting terrorism or other criminal activities.

Captain Goni also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, noting that public cooperation remains vital to ongoing counter-insurgency efforts and the restoration of lasting peace across the Northeast.

The arrest comes days after the Headquarters of the Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps publicly declared Private Yusuf wanted. In a statement issued on Thursday, Assistant Director of Army Public Relations at the Corps Headquarters, Major Oluwatope Aluko, said preliminary investigations linked the soldier to the alleged illegal sale and supply of military uniforms to terrorists and other criminal elements after he absconded from his unit.

The Army had stated that intensive efforts were underway to apprehend the soldier to face a comprehensive investigation and appropriate disciplinary action in line with existing military laws.

The latest development highlights the Nigerian Army’s renewed determination to strengthen internal accountability while intensifying efforts to disrupt logistics and supply chains that sustain insurgent activities in the Northeast.