The Air Component of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, has neutralised more than 18 terrorists and destroyed key logistics facilities during a precision air interdiction operation at Tumbunma Baba in the Tumbuns general area of Borno State.
The operation, conducted in the early hours of Friday, September 11, 2026, was carried out in close coordination with ground troops of Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI.
According to a statement by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Captain Mohammed Goni, the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering which identified the area as a meeting point and logistics hub for high-profile terrorist elements.
The intelligence was subsequently validated through surveillance and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions conducted by the Theatre Command from Wednesday, September 9.
The surveillance identified several terrorist structures and logistics hubs within the islands, confirming the location as a gathering and support base for the insurgents.
Following positive identification of the targets, attack aircraft engaged the designated locations with precision-guided munitions, while ground troops simultaneously blocked likely escape routes to prevent fleeing terrorists from escaping the operational area.
The strikes destroyed the targeted structures and neutralised more than 18 terrorist elements, dealing what the military described as a significant blow to terrorist activities in the area.
A post-strike assessment put the success rate of the operation at an estimated 85 per cent, with the military saying the action had disrupted terrorist logistics and degraded their capacity to use the enclave for regrouping and operational support.
The operation, according to the military, further demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led missions, timely ISR confirmation and coordinated air-ground operations in combating terrorism across the North-East Theatre.
The Joint Task Force said Operation HADIN KAI would continue to work with other security agencies and stakeholders to conduct intelligence-driven operations aimed at denying terrorists the freedom to operate, regroup or establish logistics and support infrastructure.
The military also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible and timely information to security forces to assist ongoing efforts to detect and disrupt terrorist activities across the North-East.
