By By Elizabeth Ugbo
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), neutralised 16 ISWAP terrorists and rescued 11 kidnapped victims in Borno State on February 9, 2026, following coordinated counter-offensives to dismantle terrorist networks and protect civilians. The operation involved soldiers working in synergy with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to pursue fleeing militants and disrupt their logistics.
According to a statement by OPHK’s Media Information Officer, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, the offensive followed a failed midnight attack by ISWAP fighters on the Forward Operating Base in Auno on February 5, which was decisively repelled by troops of Sector 1 using superior firepower.
Uba said the follow-up operation along the Komala axis in Konduga Local Government Area led to the neutralisation of 16 terrorists, with several others escaping with gunshot wounds. Troops recovered over 20 bicycles, weapons, and a large cache of logistical supplies believed to be critical to ISWAP’s operations.
In a related development, troops arrested suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers transporting large quantities of drugs intended for the terrorists around the Bukarti axis.
Troops also foiled a kidnap attempt along the Buratai–Kamuya road, rescuing two victims, Mallam Idris Adamu and Mallam Muhammadu Safiyanu, and reunited them with their families. Additionally, responding to a distress call along the Chibok–Damboa axis, soldiers rescued nine more kidnapped individuals on the same day.
Lt.-Col. Uba emphasized that these operations highlight OPHK’s sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist networks, disrupt logistics corridors, and ensure civilian protection across the Northeast.
source:vanguard
