The Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai has neutralised more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, including a prominent commander, in a precision airstrike on a terrorist enclave in Borno State.
The operation, conducted on October 10, 2026, targeted a terrorist hideout at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area of the state.
The military also destroyed two vehicles and about 20 motorcycles allegedly used by the terrorists for transportation, logistics and offensive operations.
The Military Information Officer at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Monday, October 12.
According to the statement, the operation followed credible intelligence reports indicating that ISWAP fighters were assembling to launch coordinated attacks on troops operating within Sector 3 of the military operation’s area of responsibility.
Goni said the Air Component swiftly deployed surveillance assets to monitor the area, identify terrorist movements and locate suspected hideouts and logistics facilities before carrying out the precision strike.
He explained that preliminary human intelligence and battle damage assessments indicated that more than 40 terrorists, including a prominent ISWAP commander known as a Qaid, were killed in the operation.
The military said the destruction of the vehicles and motorcycles would significantly weaken the group’s mobility and logistics capabilities while disrupting its alleged plans to attack military positions and surrounding communities.
Further intelligence assessments reportedly established that the targeted fighters belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, described by the military as a specialised mobile fighting unit responsible for patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining terrorist activities in the area.
The statement said the destruction of the enclave and its associated operational assets represented a setback to the group’s capacity to launch attacks and sustain its activities in the Lake Chad region.
It added that further assessments were ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage inflicted during the operation.
Goni said the successful strike demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led, technology-enabled and coordinated air operations in disrupting terrorist networks and limiting their freedom of action.
He added that the operation reflected the sustained efforts of troops under Operation Hadin Kai to degrade terrorist capabilities and strengthen security across Nigeria’s North-East.
The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to continuing coordinated air and ground operations to eliminate terrorist threats, protect vulnerable communities and support efforts to restore lasting peace and stability in the region.
The casualty figures and operational details were provided by the military in its official statement.
