By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have repelled multiple coordinated attacks launched by suspected ISWAP terrorists on several military positions in Borno State.
The Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the attacks occurred between the night of Sunday, March 8 and the early hours of Monday, March 9, 2026.
According to him, the terrorists targeted military locations in Delwa, Goniri, Kukawa, Mainok, as well as a troops harbour position deep inside the Sambisa Forest, launching the assaults simultaneously from different directions in what appeared to be an attempt to overwhelm the troops.
Despite the intensity of the attacks and the heavy firepower deployed by the insurgents, the troops held their ground and mounted a determined defence across multiple fronts.
Uba said reinforcements and the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI provided timely support during the engagements, enabling the troops to repel the attackers and force them to retreat after suffering significant casualties.
He added that several bodies of the terrorists were left behind as they fled the battlefields.
Troops also recovered a cache of weapons and equipment abandoned by the fleeing insurgents, including two PKT machine guns, six AK-47 rifles, eight rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs, four mortar bombs and assorted ammunition of various calibres.
According to the statement, sections of the defensive perimeters at Goniri and Kukawa were briefly breached during the intense firefights, while some structures within the bases and a number of military vehicles sustained damage.
However, Uba assured that all the affected locations remain firmly under the control of Operation HADIN KAI troops.
He said ground forces, supported by the Air Component, have launched follow-up exploitation operations in the affected areas to track down fleeing terrorists.
Cordon-and-search operations are also ongoing in neighbouring communities following intelligence reports that some wounded terrorists were seeking refuge in the areas.
The military, however, confirmed that the engagements resulted in the loss of some soldiers, including an officer in Kukawa who paid the ultimate price in the defence of the nation.
It added that the sacrifices of the fallen troops would continue to inspire their comrades in the ongoing fight against terrorism, while assuring that operations would be sustained to deny terrorists freedom of action and restore lasting peace and stability across the North East.
