Troops of the Joint Task Force North East under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) successfully thwarted a coordinated terrorist offensive on Monday along the Maiduguri–Damboa Main Supply Route in Borno State.
A reliable military source disclosed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident took place around 3:10 pm on December 22.
According to the source, soldiers of the 25 Brigade were on a Main Supply Route dominance patrol and escorting civilians along the Maiduguri–Damboa corridor in Damboa Local Government Area when they were engaged by ISWAP/JAS fighters.
He explained that the attackers deployed multiple armed drones, planted improvised explosive devices, and staged an ambush in an effort to obstruct both military operations and civilian movement on the route.
The source noted that reinforcements were swiftly dispatched from the Brigade Headquarters, allowing troops to repel the attack and restore stability to the area.
He added that the soldiers maintained control of the axis, effectively denying the terrorists any operational freedom.
The source further stated that troops continued sustained offensive actions in other sectors under OPHK as part of Operation Desert Sanity IV.
In the North Central region, he said forces operating under Operation Enduring Peace and Operation FANSAN YAMMA recorded notable gains against kidnapping and other criminal activities in Kaduna and Plateau States.
In Kaduna State, troops from Sector 5, working alongside local vigilante groups, arrested two suspected kidnappers during an intelligence-driven operation in Pari and Rahama villages within Kauru Local Government Area.
In Plateau State, the source said troops from Sector 2 of Operation Enduring Peace responded to a kidnapping incident in Panyam town, Mangu Local Government Area, where one individual was abducted and another killed by suspected kidnappers. He added that rescue efforts for the abducted victim were still ongoing.
“However, troops recorded a major breakthrough in Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau, where swift military response forced kidnappers to abandon a Reverend and his three children abducted from a church premises at Makundang village.
“The victims were successfully rescued, debriefed and reunited with their family, while troops continue the search for the fleeing kidnappers in surrounding mountainous areas,” he said.
The source reaffirmed the resolve of the Nigerian military to maintain pressure on terrorists and criminal groups across all operational theatres to safeguard lives and property nationwide.
What you should know
This report highlights ongoing military operations across Nigeria aimed at countering terrorism and kidnapping.
Operation HADIN KAI focuses on combating insurgency in the North East, particularly in Borno State, while Operation Desert Sanity IV targets residual terrorist threats. In the North Central region, Operation Enduring Peace and Operation FANSAN YAMMA are designed to curb kidnapping and banditry.
The rescue of the Reverend and his children underscores the military’s rapid response capability, while continued patrols and arrests reflect sustained efforts to restore security on major highways and vulnerable communities.
