Troops Kill 25 ISWAP Fighters, Recover 13 AK-47s

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have repelled coordinated terrorist attacks in Limankara and Kukawa, Borno State.

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This was contained in a statement on Sunday by the Media Information Officer of the Theatre Command, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.

“Troops of Sector 2 under Operation DESERT SANITY V, acting on weeks of intelligence backed by satellite imagery and ISR air platforms, conducted a precision operation in the early hours of 22 February 2026 around Lamusheri Village in Gujba LGA, identified as a key terrorist attack launch pad and logistics hub.

“During the ensuing firefight and exploitation, 15 terrorists were neutralised while scores fled with gunshot wounds,” Uba said.

According to him, extensive defensive and life-support structures were destroyed.

He said that five terrorist tricycles and two vehicles used for attacks and logistics were set ablaze with their contents, and a cache of arms, ammunition, bandoliers, and camel pouches was recovered.

Uba said the terrorists, in unconfirmed numbers, also attempted to infiltrate the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Limankara, while the alert troops immediately engaged the attackers in a fierce firefight, bringing disciplined firepower and tactical coordination to bear.

He said rapid reinforcement at the contact point with support from the Air Component Command overwhelmed the assailants, compelling them to flee in disarray through the burial ground axis.

“In a related incident at about 2320 hours, terrorists mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles, with additional fighters on foot, launched a coordinated multi-pronged attack on troops in Kukawa from the Alagarno and Jemmu axes.

“The troops engaged the attackers in an intense firefight that extended into the early hours of 21 February 2026. Overpowered by superior fire and coordinated resistance from the ground troops and air support from the Nigerian Air Force, the terrorists withdrew, dragging away casualties,” he said.

Uba noted that the air platforms further conducted a series of precision strikes, with one terrorist gun truck destroyed, “pulverising four fighters in the gun truck”.

“Persistent aerial surveillance subsequently tracked fleeing terrorists on five motorcycles to a convergence point, where another precision strike destroyed the five motorcycles and neutralised an additional 10 fighters.

“Following the strikes, troops conducted an operation and recovered thirteen(13) AK-47 rifles, sixteen (16) AK-47 loaded magazines, three(3) handheld radios which the insurgents used for communication, terrorists’ stretchers used to convey their casualties, as well as shallow graves and blood trails left by the terrorists,” he added.

He announced that “regrettably, one gallant soldier paid the supreme price, and some combat enablers were destroyed by rocket fire during the engagements.

“The wounded in action personnel were promptly evacuated by the Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and are all in stable condition.”