Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) under Operation HADIN KAI have repelled coordinated attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP on three communities in Borno State, killing several terrorists and recovering a cache of weapons and equipment.

The attempted assaults targeted Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Mayanti, Gajigana and Gajiram between the late hours of February 28 and the early hours of March 1, 2026. Military sources said the attacks were decisively foiled, forcing the terrorists to retreat with heavy losses.

However, during the fierce confrontation at FOB Mayanti in Bama Local Government Area, an officer paid the supreme price while leading troops to repel the attackers.

Confirming the incidents, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said the troops displayed resilience and battlefield dominance despite intense enemy fire and the use of ambushes, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and armed drones by the terrorists.

According to him, exploitation of the battle area at Mayanti led to the recovery of five terrorist corpses, three PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, two RPG-7 tubes, four AK-47 rifles, two FN rifles, three RPG bombs and large quantities of 7.62mm ammunition, with blood trails suggesting additional casualties.

Uba explained that while the attack on Gajigana was successfully thwarted without loss of position, terrorists also launched an assault on FOB Gajiram at about 1:15 a.m. on March 1 but were repelled by determined troops with the support of air assets.

“Three terrorist bodies were recovered along their withdrawal route, alongside four AK-47 rifles, five anti-tank bombs, three locally fabricated mortar bombs, one armed drone, six fully loaded 7.62mm NATO magazines, barbed wire cutters, specialised ammunition, poisoned arrows and other items abandoned in flight,” he said.

He added that one wounded soldier was evacuated by a Nigerian Army Aviation helicopter for advanced medical care.

In related offensive operations across Sector II, troops engaged terrorists at Kayawa village, forcing them to flee and abandon a tricycle, three motorcycles and five bicycles. Soldiers also destroyed identified terrorist life-support structures, arrested two confessed ISWAP logistics suppliers and recovered drugs and medical supplies used in treating wounded fighters.

Further engagements around Bulturam Corner and Dadingel in Gujba Local Government Area resulted in the neutralisation of two terrorists and the recovery of two AK-47 rifles, four magazines, a bicycle and other items.

Lt. Col. Uba said all locations remain firmly under military control, stressing that the scale of recoveries and confirmed enemy losses underscore the continued degradation of terrorist combat capacity in the North East.