BY: ABDULKADIR M LAWAN, OCTOBER 30, 2026/ 12:49PM

Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, have neutralised 48 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in separate operations in Borno and Yobe States.

The major blow was dealt between October 29 and 30, 2026 when troops foiled 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 LGA of Yobe State.

The latest victory brings to over a hundred the number of terrorists killed by troops in the last few days, including the precision airstrike on 28 October in Kerenoa, Marte LGA, which neutralised 15 terrorists, killed two high-profile ISWAP Qayids, Abu Musanna and Hassan Abu Huraira, critically injured the Wali of the area, and destroyed an IED logistics hub, and other sustained offensives across the theatre.

In Bitta, troops decisively disorganised an attempted terrorist assault on the night of October 29, 2026.

The combined response of ground troops and air support overwhelmed the attackers, thwarting their plan and inflicting heavy casualties.

In a related development, troops launched a successful counter-attack against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked NETTS Buni Yadi from October 29 into the early hours of October 30, 2026.

According to Hadin Kai's spokesman, Capt. Mohammed Goni, the approximately five-hour engagement was coordinated by the Theatre Command, with effective integration of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities, alongside air and ground assets.

He said the decisive counter-offensive resulted in 48 terrorists killed, with troops recovering a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition.

Recovered items include 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), one 60mm mortar, 105 AK-47 magazines, two video cameras, 30 rounds of 12.7mm armour-piercing incendiary ammunition, 2,738 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 223 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 2,054 rounds of PKT ammunition.

Capt. Goni disclosed that one soldier paid the supreme price during the engagements, while two others who sustained minor injuries are responding to treatment.

He said the morale of troops remains high as they sustain operations against terrorist elements across the theatre, noting that the latest operational successes further demonstrate the troops' combat effectiveness, operational coordination and determination to deny terrorists freedom of action.

'The heavy losses suffered by the insurgents and the recovery of their weapons and ammunition constitute another significant setback to their operational capabilities,' he added.