Soldiers kill 48 terrorists, repel Borno, Yobe attacks

Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI, have killed 48 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists while foiling coordinated attacks on 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 a post on the Nigerian Army’s X handle on Friday, the Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation, HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the engagements took place between October 29 and 30, 2026.

In Bitta, troops successfully disrupted a terrorist assault on the night of 29 October. Ground forces, supported by air assets, overwhelmed the attackers and inflicted heavy casualties, forcing them to abandon their plan.

In a separate but related operation, troops mounted a strong counter-attack against a large group of ISWAP fighters who struck NETTS Buni Yadi from the evening of 29 October into the early hours of 30 October. The roughly five-hour battle involved coordinated use of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) systems, as well as air and ground forces under the direction of the Theatre Command.

“Troops recovered a large quantity of weapons and ammunition after the fighting. The items include 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns, one 60mm mortar, 105 AK-47 magazines, two video cameras, and thousands of rounds of various calibres of ammunition,” Goni said

One soldier was killed in the engagements, while two others sustained minor injuries and are receiving treatment. Troop morale remains high.

The military described the outcome as a major setback for the terrorists, significantly degrading their operational capacity in the theatre.