Troops kill three ISWAP commanders, 80 fighters in Borno

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai on Wednesday repelled a Boko Haram attack in Mallam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, killing three high-profile commanders and more than 80 insurgents.

A statement by the Media Information Officer, Northeast Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, Lt Col Sanni Uba, identified the eliminated commanders as Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram, and Abou Ayyuba, who coordinated and led the failed assault.

Other known killed fighters included Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, Abu Ali, Abba Gana Kawiyya, and Ahmodu Hirasama.

The statement read, “Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in the early hours of Wednesday successfully repelled a coordinated and simultaneous five-pronged terrorist attack on their positions at Mallam Fatori in Sector 3

He said the terrorists, advancing in large numbers on foot and deploying armed drones in a desperate bid to breach troop positions, were met with overwhelming resistance.

“Having maintained full situational awareness of the battlespace, troops had anticipated the attack and deliberately prepared an offensive-defensive battle designed to decisively defeat and annihilate the assault elements,” the statement said.

It added that through disciplined fire control, coordinated manoeuvre, and superior tactical execution, the attackers were engaged, disrupted, and routed “with no fewer than 80 terrorists neutralised during the engagement.

Additionally, the firefight was reinforced by precision close air support from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, complemented by rapid strike passes from allied Nigerien air assets, which compounded the pressure on the fleeing insurgents.”

Sanni stressed that exploitation of the engagement area led to the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons, ammunition, and combat enablers, including 52 AK-47 rifles, eight PKT machine guns, seven RPG tubes, five General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), over 3,000 rounds of assorted 7.62mm ammunition, 21 RPG bombs, nine locally fabricated IEDs, multiple magazines, communication radios, and components of armed drones deployed by the terrorists.

Despite the scale and intensity of the assault, our troops recorded minimal casualties, with four soldiers wounded in action and promptly stabilised, while follow-on Battle Damage Assessment of air interdictions remains ongoing,” it noted.

The statement added, “The elimination of these commanders and fighters represents a severe disruption to the terrorist command structure and operational capability within the axis.”

The decisive victory represents a major operational setback for the terrorist network and underscores the growing combat effectiveness, resilience, and tactical superiority of Operation HADIN KAI forces across the theatre.

“The failed attack clearly contradicts recent misleading propaganda and false narratives suggesting that troops are overwhelmed or experiencing setbacks.

“On the contrary, troops remain firmly in control of all locations, maintaining dominance through sustained offensive operations, effective joint force integration, and high morale,” the statement read.

Sanni further reassured the public that the security situation in Mallam Fatori and its environs remained under control, urging citizens to remain vigilant and disregard unverified reports intended to undermine military operations.

“The Military High Command commended the troops for their gallantry and resilience, urging them to sustain the operational tempo,” the statement concluded.

The attack marks the latest in a series of assaults targeted at military locations across Borno State.

The PUNCH reported that troops repelled coordinated attacks on bases in Ajiri Cross, Damboa, and Baga.