The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has recorded a series of major operational successes against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, including the rescue of abducted civilians, disruption of insurgent logistics networks, arrest of suspected collaborators, and the repulsion of coordinated attacks on military positions across the North-East.
According to the military, the operations, conducted between June 11 and 12, 2026, further strengthened security within the theatre and underscored the effectiveness of ongoing offensive campaigns aimed at dismantling terrorist strongholds.
In one of the most significant humanitarian outcomes of the operations, troops of Sector 2 rescued three abducted children during fighting and perimeter clearance patrols around the Amuda area on June 11. The children, identified as Ali Usman, 15, Umar Ibrahim Abubakar, 15, and Fatima Abubakar, 12, reportedly escaped from terrorist enclaves located in the SAHA and CHINENE areas of the Mandara Mountains.
Military authorities said preliminary investigations revealed that sustained offensives against insurgent camps had created conditions that enabled the victims to flee captivity. Following profiling and documentation, the children were safely handed over to community leaders in Ngoshe for reintegration.
Similarly, on June 12, troops of Sector 3 foiled a kidnapping attempt along the Damasak–Gubio Main Supply Route and rescued six civilians who had been abandoned by fleeing terrorists following an aggressive military pursuit around Kareto.
The military also reported notable successes in intelligence-led operations targeting terrorist logistics and support networks.
At Mallam Fatori, troops of the 68 Battalion successfully ambushed suspected ISWAP reconnaissance operatives, recovering an AK-47 rifle and a loaded magazine containing 31 rounds of ammunition.
In another operation, troops manning Check Point 61 intercepted 11 suspects travelling in two civilian vehicles under suspicious circumstances. Preliminary investigations linked the suspects to efforts to recover vehicles allegedly belonging to known terrorist logistics collaborators previously sighted supporting insurgent activities in the Ali Sheriffti area.
Meanwhile, troops operating along the Mandaragirau–Sabon Gari axis arrested a suspected logistics courier identified as Malahi Liman Muhammad. Items recovered from him included herbicides, blankets, salt, food supplies, mobile phones and other materials believed to be intended for terrorist sustenance and operational support.
The suspects are currently undergoing further investigation.
In a separate development, troops demonstrated strong combat resilience when they repelled a coordinated attack launched by heavily armed Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters against a military position at COP Bridge in the early hours of June 12.
Military sources disclosed that the terrorists attacked from the Wurge, Manawaji and Kinuba axes using four gun trucks and several motorcycles in a three-pronged assault aimed at overwhelming troops of Sector 1.
However, the attack was decisively defeated following fierce resistance by the troops, supported by timely artillery and mortar fire.
The terrorists were forced to retreat in disarray, abandoning a significant quantity of combat equipment. Subsequent exploitation operations along the withdrawal routes led to the recovery of three Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers, seven High Explosive Anti-Tank rounds and other unexploded ordnance.
Military officials said signs of heavy casualties among the attackers were evident, with troops discovering dragged blood trails and body marks along the escape routes.
One soldier sustained injuries from rocket-propelled grenade fragments during the engagement and is currently receiving medical treatment.
The military high command described the operations as further evidence of the effectiveness of OPHK’s intelligence-driven strategy and sustained offensive posture across the North-East.
It noted that continuous ground offensives, aggressive patrols, precision engagements and robust intelligence exploitation have significantly weakened terrorist capabilities, disrupted their supply chains and denied them freedom of movement.
Commending the courage and professionalism of troops, the military reassured residents that Operation HADIN KAI remains firmly in control of the operational environment and committed to restoring lasting peace, security and stability across the region.
