Troops of the Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have foiled coordinated terrorist attacks in Limankara and Kukawa areas of Borno State, killing at least 25 insurgents during separate engagements.
The development was confirmed in a statement on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of the Theatre Command, Sani Uba.
According to him, troops of Sector 2 under Operation DESERT SANITY V, acting on weeks of intelligence supported by satellite imagery and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) air platforms, carried out a precision operation in the early hours of February 22, 2026, around Lamusheri Village in Gujba Local Government Area. The location was identified as a major terrorist attack launch point and logistics hub.
During the ensuing firefight and follow-up exploitation, 15 terrorists were neutralised, while several others fled with gunshot wounds.
Uba disclosed that troops destroyed defensive structures and life-support facilities used by the insurgents. Five terrorist tricycles and two vehicles deployed for logistics and attacks were set ablaze along with their contents.
He added that troops recovered a cache of arms and equipment, including ammunition, bandoliers and camel pouches.
The terrorists, in unspecified numbers, also attempted to infiltrate the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Limankara. However, alert troops engaged them in a fierce exchange of fire, applying coordinated tactics and sustained firepower.
Rapid reinforcement at the contact point, supported by air assets, overwhelmed the attackers and forced them to retreat through the burial ground axis.
In a related development at about 2320 hours, insurgents mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles, alongside fighters on foot, launched a coordinated multi-pronged attack on troops stationed in Kukawa from the Alagarno and Jemmu axes.
The troops engaged the attackers in a prolonged firefight that extended into the early hours of February 21, 2026. Superior firepower and coordinated resistance from ground forces, backed by air support from the Nigerian Air Force, compelled the terrorists to withdraw while dragging away casualties.
Air platforms subsequently carried out precision strikes, destroying one terrorist gun truck and eliminating four fighters on board.
Persistent aerial surveillance tracked fleeing insurgents riding five motorcycles to a convergence point, where another airstrike destroyed the motorcycles and neutralised an additional 10 fighters.
Following the strikes, troops conducted clearance operations and recovered 13 AK-47 rifles, 16 loaded AK-47 magazines, three handheld radios used for communication, stretchers used to evacuate casualties, as well as shallow graves and blood trails.
Uba, however, confirmed that one soldier lost his life during the engagements, while some combat support equipment was damaged by rocket fire.
He added that wounded personnel were promptly evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and are in stable condition.
What You Should Know
Troops under Operation HADIN KAI repelled coordinated terrorist attacks in Limankara and Kukawa, Borno State, neutralising at least 25 insurgents through ground and air operations.
Weapons and logistics equipment were recovered, though one soldier was killed in action.
The military says operations will continue to dismantle terrorist strongholds in the North East.
