Nigerian troops neutralize 18 terrorists, recover arms in Borno
By SUMAYYAH ADEFAKA
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) of Sector 1 have neutralised 18 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the Bula Dalo-Sabon Gari axis of Borno state.
The insurgents were killed during a Thursday dawn operation along the 100km Damboa-Biu road in the state.
OPHK Media Information Officer, Lt-Col. Sani Uba, disclosed on Friday in Maiduguri via a statement that, “Our troops conducted a successful night dawn surprise operations at Bula Dalo, where 12 insurgents were eliminated,” adding that the remnants with gunshot wounds had to flee in disarray into Sambisa Forest.
Besides the killings of a dozen terrorists, Uba stated that four AK-47 rifles, a PKT anti-aircraft, a Rocket Propelled Gun (RPG), and a multiple grenade launcher were recovered from the fleeing terrorists.
He added that in a separate, deliberate operation at the Garno hideouts, six additional terrorists were neutralised, and terrorists’ life-supporting structures were destroyed, and a cache of PKT anti-aircraft ammunition was also recovered.
In a related development, troops of Sector 2, OPHK at Sabon Gari were also confronted with an ISWAP attack supported by multiple armed drones in the early hours of 29th January 2026.
Although the terrorists briefly breached a section of the defensive position, the gallant troops swiftly repelled the assault by holding their ground and restored full control with timely reinforcement from nearby locations.
“Regrettably, some courageous troops and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) paid the supreme price in the course of defending the location,” adding that an excavator and low bed also got damaged as a result of the armed drone attack by ISWAP.
He noted that exploitation of the area is ongoing as operations continue to deny terrorists the freedom of action.
In other news, Zamfara State Police Command has rescued one Abdullahi Isah Nagari, a man abducted by armed bandits on January 29, 2026, in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.
According to the police command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, the victim was found tied to a tree with a machete cut injury on his hand.
The command’s spokesman said that the rescue operation was carried out by the police and military personnel, who were able to locate and rescue the victim after receiving a report of the abduction.
Abubakar explained that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators, and security patrols have been increased in the area to prevent further occurrences.
He said that the Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba, has assured the public of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state.
The command urged residents to continue providing timely and useful information to security agencies for prompt action.
