Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have foiled a terrorist mission aimed at extorting residents in Yobe State, killing one suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighter and recovering weapons, ammunition and logistics items during a series of intelligence-led operations.
The military said the operation, carried out by troops of Sector 2 in collaboration with the 27 Task Force Brigade, dealt another significant blow to terrorist financing networks by disrupting an attempt to collect illegal levies from communities.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, the troops acted on credible intelligence indicating that two Volkswagen Golf vehicles and several motorcycles carrying suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists were moving towards communities in the Paya Kafiya axis to extort money from residents.
The troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bukarti immediately launched an aggressive fighting patrol on July 19 and intercepted the terrorists.
During the ensuing gun battle, troops brought overwhelming firepower to bear on the terrorists, successfully engaging and immobilising one of the Volkswagen Golf vehicles. The driver of the vehicle was neutralised, while four other terrorists abandoned the vehicle and fled into the surrounding bush with gunshot wounds.
Military authorities said follow-up exploitation operations conducted on July 20 along the Paya Kafiya-Garin Gada axis led to the recovery of the abandoned vehicle and a cache of items believed to have supported terrorist operations.
Recovered items included 25 rounds of belted PKT ammunition, one loaded AK-47 magazine, 15 empty PKT ammunition cases, assorted drugs comprising paracetamol and nicotine products, as well as mechanical tools suspected to have been used for terrorist logistics and equipment maintenance.
The military described the operation as another major success in its ongoing campaign to dismantle Boko Haram and ISWAP logistics and revenue networks across the North-East.
Operation HADIN KAI said the latest operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-driven military operations in disrupting terrorist financing, degrading operational capabilities and denying insurgents freedom of movement.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining offensive operations in collaboration with other security agencies, pledging to maintain relentless pressure on terrorist groups until lasting peace, security and stability are fully restored across the North-East.
It also urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to enhance ongoing counterterrorism operations in the region.
