By Bavoriat Clara
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have repelled coordinated terrorist attacks in Limankara and Kukawa areas of Borno State, reinforcing ongoing efforts to degrade insurgent capabilities across the theatre.
In a statement issued by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the military said the failed assaults launched on the night of 20 February 2026 indicate increasing pressure on terrorist enclaves, logistics corridors and leadership structures.
The statement explained that troops of Sector 2 under Operation DESERT SANITY V, acting on intelligence supported by satellite imagery and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, conducted a precision operation in the early hours of 22 February 2026 around Lamusheri Village in Gujba Local Government Area.
According to the military, the location had been identified as a key terrorist launch pad and logistics hub. Troops, working in synergy with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, reportedly outflanked the terrorists despite coming under fire during the approach.
During the firefight and subsequent exploitation, 15 terrorists were neutralised while several others escaped with gunshot wounds. The operation also led to the destruction of defensive and life-support structures, while five terrorist tricycles and two vehicles used for attacks and logistics were set ablaze. Troops further recovered arms, ammunition, bandoliers and camel pouches.
In a related development, terrorists in unconfirmed numbers attempted to infiltrate the Forward Operating Base in Limankara on the same night. Alert troops engaged the attackers in a fierce firefight, with rapid reinforcement and air support overwhelming the assailants and forcing them to flee through the burial ground axis.
The military reported no casualties or equipment losses among own troops in Limankara, while human intelligence indicated several casualties on the side of the terrorists. Authorities say the situation remains under control.
Similarly, terrorists mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles launched a coordinated multi-pronged attack on troops in Kukawa from the Alagarno and Jemmu axes. Troops mounted a determined defence, engaging the attackers in an intense firefight that lasted into the early hours of 21 February 2026.
Air Component platforms subsequently conducted precision strikes, destroying one terrorist gun truck and neutralising four fighters. Persistent aerial surveillance later tracked fleeing terrorists on five motorcycles to a convergence point where another strike destroyed the motorcycles and neutralised 10 additional fighters.
Following the engagement, troops recovered 13 AK-47 rifles, 16 loaded AK-47 magazines, three handheld radios, stretchers used by the insurgents, as well as shallow graves and blood trails.
The military, however, confirmed that one soldier was killed in action while some combat enablers were destroyed by rocket fire during the engagements. Wounded personnel were evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and are reported to be in stable condition.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their performance and urged them to sustain the ongoing operational tempo aimed at further degrading terrorist combat capacity.
admin