By Nkechi Eze
Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI, have successfully foiled an attempted attack by Boko Haram terrorists around the Kashimri general area of Bama Local Government Area, Borno State. The operation, carried out on October 17, 2025, by the 21 Special Armoured Brigade, led to the destruction of several terrorist hideouts and the neutralisation of multiple insurgents.
According to an official statement signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, the troops, acting on credible intelligence, located and destroyed identified Boko Haram camps in the area, thereby frustrating the terrorists’ plans to launch coordinated assaults on civilians and disrupt socio-economic activities.
During the fierce gun battle that ensued, the troops engaged the terrorists with superior firepower, neutralising several insurgents while others fled with varying degrees of injuries. However, the encounter came at a cost to the Nigerian Army, as the Commanding Officer of the 202 Tank Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, alongside a few other valiant soldiers, paid the supreme price.
Lieutenant Colonel Anele described the fallen personnel as gallant heroes who fought courageously for the peace and stability of Nigeria. “These brave heroes fought for the peace of our great nation, and their legacies shall endure forever. The Nigerian Army will continue to honour the weight of their sacrifices, as their loss comes with the reminder of our unyielding resolve to stamp out the scourge of terrorism from our great nation, Nigeria,” the statement read.
Reacting to the incident, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, on behalf of officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the departed. He described the fallen men as not just soldiers, but fathers, brothers, and sons who demonstrated immeasurable courage by taking the last stand in the face of adversity.
“The Nigerian Army stands united with their families in this time of grief,” General Oluyede stated, reaffirming the Army’s unwavering commitment to pursuing terrorist elements relentlessly until total peace and normalcy are restored in the North-East and the nation as a whole.
In the spirit of respect and compassion, the Army also appealed to members of the public and the media to refrain from sharing or publishing images of personnel who have paid the supreme price during operations until their next of kin have been duly informed. This, according to the statement, is to preserve the dignity of the fallen heroes and protect the privacy of their families.
The Nigerian Army reiterated that despite the losses, its troops remain resolute and undeterred in their mission to end terrorism and restore lasting peace to all troubled parts of the country.
