Military Neutralises 6 Terrorists, Arrests 11 Suspected Collaborators In Borno

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), “Operation Hadin Kai” (OPHK), have neutralised six suspected terrorists, arrested 11 alleged collaborators and recorded the surrender of a member of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) in separate counter-terrorism operations in Borno State.

The operations, according to the Theatre Command, involved coordinated efforts by troops and Hybrid Force personnel to disrupt terrorist activities, dismantle support networks and recover weapons and ammunition.

In a statement issued yesterday in Maiduguri, the acting military information officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Captain Mohammed Goni, said troops of the 29 Task Force Brigade Garrison, working with Hybrid Force personnel, neutralised six terrorists during an ambush along the Targejeri axis of Kaga local government area.

Goni said the operation was conducted at about 12:37 a.m. on October 25, 2026, against suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and JAS terrorists.

He disclosed that the troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 169 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, two Android phones, three button phones and charms.

In a related development, troops arrested six additional suspected terrorist collaborators during a follow-up raid in Benisheikh town, Kaga local government area, bringing the total number of suspects arrested in connection with the investigation to 11.

The raid, conducted at about 6:20 a.m. on October 24, followed an earlier operation in which five suspects were apprehended.

Items recovered during the operation included an AK-47 rifle, three empty magazines, 169 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, three terrorist uniforms, a turban, a head mask, two Android phones, three button phones and charms.

The military spokesman said the suspects were undergoing investigation to determine the extent of their alleged involvement in terrorist activities and establish possible links with other members of the network.

Goni further disclosed that a suspected JAS member surrendered to troops of the 192 Battalion (Main), supported by Hybrid Force personnel deployed at the Hambagda Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Gwoza local government area.

He said the individual surrendered at about 9:20 p.m. on October 24 around Hambagda village, along the Gwoza-Limankara road.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the individual had escaped from a terrorist enclave in the Gwoza area of the Mandara Mountains in a bid to abandon terrorism.

The surrendered individual reportedly handed over an AK-47 rifle and a magazine containing 28 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

According to the statement, the individual remains in custody for further investigation and processing in line with established procedures.

The Theatre Command said the latest operations demonstrated the sustained offensive posture, combat readiness and coordination of OPHK troops and Hybrid Force personnel in degrading terrorist capabilities and disrupting their support networks.

It added that the recovery of weapons and ammunition, alongside the arrest of suspected collaborators and the surrender of a terrorist group member, underscored efforts to deny insurgents the resources and support needed to sustain their activities.

The command reiterated its commitment to intelligence-led operations across the North-East, with the aim of denying terrorists freedom of action, facilitating the safe return of displaced communities and restoring socio-economic activities in affected areas.

It urged members of the public to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies to support ongoing operations and efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.