Troops foil ambush, kill 2 B/Haram commanders in Borno

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) said they foiled a Boko Haram ambush and killed terrorists, including two of their senior commanders, along the Sambisa and Mandara Mountains axis of Borno state.

In a statement on Thursday evening, the Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force Northeast operation Hadin Kai, Lt Col Sani Uba, identified the commanders as Basulhu and Ubaida.

He said the terrorists were neutralised after an ambush they laid using a Roadside Improvised Explosive Device, and heavy gunfire was foiled by the military’s superior firepowers.

“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) operating under Operation DESERT SANITY V delivered a decisive blow to BH/ISWAP terrorists along the Sambisa and Mandara Mountains axis on 22 January 2026.

“The insurgents attempted a well-planned ambush with Roadside Improvised Explosive Devices (RSIED) and heavy gunfire, but impressively, troops under Sector 1 responded with superior firepower, neutralising 10 terrorists, including 2 senior commanders identified as Basulhu and Ubaida,” he said.

He added that the follow-up pursuit and exploitation in the post attack led to the recovery of 3 AK-47 rifles, one pump-action rifle, 5 motorcycles, 2 hand grenades, 2 Baofeng radios, 12 x AK-47 magazines, a Rocket Propelled Grenade charger, detonation cords, batteries, bandoliers, camel bags, as well as iron bars and IED accessories.

“Troops of Sector 1 OPHK further made contact around the Malkube area, recovering additional AK 47 rifles, ammunition, and communication devices, while 2 terrorists were neutralised without casualties to personnel

“Earlier in the day, another Battle Group from Sector 1 engaged BHT/ISWAP elements attempting to infiltrate from Cameroon near Galakura into Nigeria, forcing them to withdraw in disarray.”

According to Uba, the exploitation of the area yielded insurgent equipment and supplies, including 2 motorcycles, further denying the terrorists freedom of action.

“Troops’ morale and combat efficiency remain high, and operations would be sustained across the entire North East region,” he assured.

He noted that the military high command commended the troops for their gallantry and urged them to sustain the operational tempo.

On Tuesday, the troops of Operation Hadin Kai had suffered a little setback in their clearance operation in the Timbuktu triangle resulting in the death of an unspecified number of casualties but they assured that their morale was high and promised to continue with the fight.

According to the spokesman, the troops successfully cleared and dominated key terrorist locations across the triangle, including Tergejeri, Chiralia, and the Ajigin/Abirma general areas.

He said the troops made intermittent contact with fleeing terrorist elements and engaged them with high volumes of fire, resulting in the neutralisation of several terrorists.

“On 20 January 2026, while consolidating at a harbour area approximately 6 km North of Chilaria, troops encountered 2 Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED). Through vigilance and swift action, one VBIED was successfully neutralised. The second VBIED, however, breached the defensive position, affecting some logistics platforms.

“In the course of this attack, some gallant soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force paid the supreme price, while others sustained injuries,” he added.

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