Troops neutralise 6 terrorists, arrest 11 suspected collaborators in Borno

Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised six terrorists, arrested 11 suspected collaborators and received the surrender of a Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) member in Borno. This is contained in an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Abuja. The report said the operations, conducted by troops of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), targeted terrorist fighters and suspected support networks in Kaga and Gwoza Local Government Areas.

It said troops of 29 Task Force Brigade Garrison, supported by Hybrid Force personnel, ambushed suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)/JAS terrorists along the Targejeri axis of Kaga at about 12:37 a.m. on Oct. 25. According to the report, six terrorists were neutralised during the encounter, while troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines and 169 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

“Other recovered items included two Android phones, three button phones and charms. “In a related development, troops arrested six additional suspected terrorist collaborators during a follow-up raid in Benisheikh, Kaga, at about 6:20 a.m. on Oct. 24. “The arrests brought the number of suspects apprehended in connection with the investigation to 11, including five earlier arrests.

“Items listed as recovered during the raid included an AK-47 rifle, three empty magazines, 169 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, three terrorist uniforms, a turban, a head mask, two Android phones, three button phones and charms,” it said. The report said the suspects were undergoing investigation to establish their alleged involvement in terrorist activities and identify possible links to other members of the network.

It added that troops of 192 Battalion (Main), supported by Hybrid Force personnel at Hambagda Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Gwoza, received a JAS member who surrendered at about 9:20 p.m. on Saturday. According to the report, preliminary investigation indicated that the individual had escaped from a terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains area of Gwoza and decided to abandon terrorism.

“The individual surrendered with an AK-47 rifle and a magazine containing 28 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition,” it added. The report said the defector was in custody undergoing further investigation and processing in line with established procedures. It said the operations underscore OPHK’s continued efforts to disrupt terrorist activities, dismantle support networks and encourage defections through sustained, intelligence-led operations.

The military urged members of the public to provide credible and timely information to security agencies to support efforts to restore peace and enable displaced communities to return safely.