By Nkechi Eze
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have decisively repelled a coordinated overnight assault by ISWAP terrorists on the Headquarters 27 Brigade and the Buni Gari Checkpoint in Yobe State, killing no fewer than 50 insurgents and recovering a large cache of arms and ammunition.
In an official signed statement by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the military disclosed that the attack was launched around 2:00am on Thursday, 8 May 2026, by heavily armed terrorists advancing from multiple directions under the cover of darkness.
The statement said the insurgents first attacked from the western flank before reinforcing through the Ganinga Junction axis and the south-western flank in what appeared to be an attempt to overwhelm and encircle troops stationed at Buni Gari.
However, troops reportedly responded with “devastating firepower, tactical brilliance and resolute determination,” holding their positions and inflicting massive casualties on the attackers.
According to the statement, the troops employed indirect fire and executed what it described as an “offensive-defensive battle” that dismantled the terrorists’ assault from all axes and forced the insurgents into a chaotic retreat.
“At no point was any part of the camp breached, as the integrity of the location remained fully intact throughout the engagement,” the statement noted.
The military further disclosed that exploitation operations conducted after the encounter led to the recovery of 10 terrorist corpses around the immediate vicinity of the camp, while human intelligence sources confirmed that more than 20 additional bodies were discovered across bushes around Gashua, Azare and Kamuya along the terrorists’ withdrawal routes.
Operation HADIN KAI also credited the Air Component Command for playing a decisive role in the battle through sustained Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations that enabled precision targeting of terrorist positions.
The statement revealed that fighter aircraft carried out coordinated air interdiction strikes on fleeing insurgents, eliminating an additional 20 terrorists during pursuit operations along their escape corridors.
Recovered items from the scene included eight AK-47 rifles, two General Purpose Machine Guns, two Rocket-Propelled Grenade tubes, five RPG bombs, three RPG chargers, two boxes of 7.62mm ammunition, two fully loaded magazines, nine bandoliers of 7.62mm ammunition and three Improvised Explosive Device canisters.
The military said troops, supported by volunteer forces, are currently conducting aggressive exploitation operations across the general area to track fleeing insurgents and prevent any regrouping attempts.
Although some Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and gun trucks sustained minimal damage during the battle, the military confirmed that all wounded personnel are stable and receiving medical attention.
The statement, however, disclosed that two soldiers lost their lives during the fierce encounter.
Operation HADIN KAI paid tribute to the fallen personnel, describing their sacrifice as a reflection of the highest traditions of courage, patriotism and commitment to national defence.
The military added that the failed assault further demonstrates the desperation of terrorist groups facing sustained operational pressure across the North East theatre.
