Troops of Sector 4, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have repelled a terrorist attack, rescued three kidnapped civilians and recovered arms, ammunition and improvised explosive devices in separate operations in Adamawa State.
The operations, conducted on November 8 and 9, 2026, targeted suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Gombi and Mubi South Local Government Areas.
In the first operation on November 8, troops deployed at Zangula Kilba Junction in Gombi Local Government Area successfully repelled an attempted attack by terrorists, neutralising two insurgents and forcing others to retreat.
A search of the area after the encounter led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles, four magazines, 115 rounds of ammunition, three belts of empty ammunition links and two cases of locally fabricated explosive devices.
Other items recovered included desert boots, a backpack, an Android phone, a wristwatch and ₦15,000.
The military said exploitation operations were ongoing to track down the fleeing terrorists and prevent them from regrouping.
In a separate operation on November 9, troops deployed in Mubi responded to a distress call from farmers around Dutse-Uku in Mubi South Local Government Area following the abduction of Mrs Happiness Dama Dauda while working on her farm.
The suspected kidnappers had reportedly taken her motorcycle alongside the victim.
The troops, working in collaboration with local hunters, swiftly mobilised to the area and mounted pressure on the abductors, forcing them to abandon their victim and flee.
Further pursuit operations resulted in the rescue of two additional residents suspected to have been kidnapped earlier, bringing the number of rescued victims to three.
The troops also recovered a motorcycle, a tricycle conveying 15 bags of beans and a Hi-Jet pickup carrying 13 bags of groundnuts belonging to other farmers who narrowly escaped abduction. The recovered property was identified by the respective village heads and returned to its owners.
The military said troops had intensified patrols and surveillance across the affected communities to prevent further attacks, restrict the movement of criminal elements and reassure residents of their safety.
The operations, according to the military, underscore the Nigerian Army’s commitment to dismantling terrorist networks, disrupting their operational capabilities and protecting civilians from attacks and abductions.
It also stressed the importance of timely intelligence sharing and collaboration between security agencies and local communities in tackling terrorism and other security threats.
Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorists and their collaborators to deny them freedom of action and protect lives, property and livelihoods across the North-East.
