BY USMAN MOHAMMED, FEBRUARY 23, 2026 | 12:24 PM
Troops of Operation the Joint Task Force of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised 25 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and repelled coordinated attacks across multiple fronts in Borno State.
In what military authorities describe as sustained efforts to degrade insurgent capacity in the North-East, the operation the troops thwarted attempted assaults on Limankara and Kukawa on the night of 20 February 2026.
According to military sources, the attacks were launched in response to intensified offensives targeting terrorist enclaves, logistics corridors and leadership structures within the theatre of operations.
In a major offensive under Operation Desert Sanity V, troops of Sector 2 carried out a precision strike in the early hours of 22 February around Lamusheri Village in Gujba Local Government Area.
Acting on weeks of intelligence supported by satellite imagery and air-based surveillance, troops advanced on what was identified as a key terrorist logistics hub and attack launch point.
Despite coming under fire during their approach, the troops, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, outflanked the insurgents and blocked their escape routes.
Fifteen terrorists were killed during the engagement, while several others reportedly fled with gunshot wounds.
Troops destroyed defensive positions and life-support structures within the enclave, set ablaze five tricycles and two vehicles used for logistics and attacks, and recovered arms, ammunition, bandoliers and other combat materials.
On the same night, insurgents attempted to infiltrate the Forward Operating Base in Limankara. Alert troops engaged the attackers in a fierce firefight, supported by rapid reinforcements and air assets.
The attackers were forced to retreat without causing casualties or equipment losses to government forces.
Military intelligence indicated that the insurgents suffered casualties during the encounter.
In Kukawa, terrorists mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles launched a coordinated multi-pronged assault from the Alagarno and Jemmu axes.
The attack, which extended into the early hours of 21 February, was met with sustained resistance from ground forces and air support.
During the engagement, air strikes destroyed a gun truck, killing four fighters, and later neutralised 10 additional insurgents tracked on five motorcycles attempting to regroup.
Following the strikes, troops recovered 13 AK-47 rifles, 16 loaded magazines, three handheld radios and other equipment, including stretchers believed to have been used to evacuate wounded fighters.
Evidence of blood trails and shallow graves was also discovered in the aftermath.
However, the military confirmed that one soldier was killed in action, while some equipment was damaged by rocket fire during the fighting.
Wounded personnel were evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and are reported to be in stable condition.
Military authorities said the coordinated land and air operations significantly compounded enemy losses and reinforced operational dominance in the theatre.
The High Command commended the troops for their performance and urged them to sustain the current operational tempo in ongoing efforts to restore lasting peace in the region.
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