Nigerian Military Eliminates 48 ISWAP Terrorists, Recovers Weapons Cache in Borno and Yobe

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralized 48 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram terrorists during what was described as fierce encounters in Borno and Yobe states.

The military also recovered a massive cache of firearms and ammunition after successfully repelling coordinated insurgent attacks between October 29 and October 30, 2026.

According to a statement released on Friday by Captain Mohammed Goni, Acting Media Information Officer for the headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai, the counter-offensives took place at military positions in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and the North East Theatre Training School (NETTS) in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

In Bitta, ground troops backed by air support decisively disrupted an attempted terrorist assault on Thursday night, overwhelming the attackers before they could breach military defenses.

Concurrently, a massive concentration of ISWAP fighters launched a five-hour assault on the NETTS facility in Buni Yadi, spanning from Thursday night into the early hours of Friday.

Coordinated by the Theatre Command, the military integrated Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities with active air and ground assets to launch a devastating counter-offensive.

The operation resulted in the deaths of 48 terrorists and the recovery of high-caliber weaponry, including 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), and one 60mm mortar. Troops also seized 105 AK-47 magazines, two video cameras, and over 5,000 rounds of various specialized ammunition.

The military authorities confirmed that one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice during the heavy gun battles. Two other soldiers sustained minor injuries and are currently responding well to medical treatment.

Captain Goni stated that the latest victories represent a significant setback to the operational capabilities of the insurgent groups, demonstrating the military’s enhanced combat effectiveness and coordination. He added that the morale of the troops remains exceptionally high as aggressive mop-up operations continue across the North East theatre.