By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI have repelled an attempted attack by suspected ISWAP terrorists on the Forward Operating Base in Magumeri, neutralising scores of insurgents and recovering a cache of arms and ammunition after a fierce gun battle.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, who said the terrorists launched the attack in the early hours of 7 May 2026 under poor visibility conditions.
According to the statement, the insurgents attempted to infiltrate the military base, recording only a minor breach in an isolated section of the camp before troops responded decisively and overwhelmed the attackers.
The military said troops fought gallantly throughout the encounter, forcing the terrorists to retreat with heavy casualties.
Further exploitation of the area, according to the statement, revealed extensive blood trails, body drags and the recovery of terrorist corpses, confirming the severity of losses suffered by the insurgents during the failed assault.
Troops also recovered several weapons and ammunition abandoned by the fleeing terrorists, including PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, AK-47 rifles and loaded magazines.
The statement, however, noted that two soldiers lost their lives during the operation, while an officer and other wounded personnel are currently stable and receiving medical attention.
It further disclosed that some military equipment and temporary structures were damaged by fire during the intense exchange of gunfire.
Meanwhile, troops have commenced follow-up exploitation operations within the general area to consolidate on the gains recorded and conduct further battle damage assessment.
The military high command commended the troops for their resilience and impressive performance during the encounter, urging them to sustain the operational tempo against terrorist groups across the North-East theatre.
