Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted and neutralised three suicide bombers in a coordinated operation along the Guduf–Pulka axis of Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State, the military has announced.
The operation, described as “deliberate and intelligence-driven”, was conducted in collaboration with local volunteer forces, according to a statement issued Thursday night by Lt. Col. Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai.
Uba said the bombers were tracked and eliminated before they could reach their intended civilian targets.
“The operation… led to the tracking and neutralisation of the suicide bombers before they could carry out planned attacks on innocent civilians,” he stated.
During the encounter, troops recovered suicide vests and other improvised explosive device (IED) components, which were later secured and rendered safe by specialists. Heavy casualties were also inflicted on terrorist escorts accompanying the bombers, forcing surviving fighters to retreat into the Mandara Mountains.
In follow-up exploitation, troops recovered four AK-47 rifles abandoned by fleeing insurgents, while two motorcycles used by the terrorists were destroyed.
Preliminary intelligence, according to the statement, indicates that the bombers were dispatched from Boko Haram’s Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction, led by Ali Ngulde, operating from hideouts in the Mandara range bordering Cameroon.
The Theatre Command said troops have intensified efforts to detect and disrupt suicide missions and other planned attacks emanating from the enclave, relying on human intelligence, communication intercepts and other surveillance capabilities.
Security forces are also deepening collaboration with local vigilante groups and other security agencies across Borno and Yobe states to protect soft targets such as markets, worship centres and IDP camps.
Public sensitisation campaigns have been stepped up to encourage residents to report suspicious persons or movements promptly to security agencies.
“Operation HADIN KAI remains resolute and committed to sustaining offensive pressure on terrorist elements, degrading their operational capabilities, and ensuring the safety and security of the populace within the theatre of operations,” Uba said.
The latest operation comes amid renewed military pressure on jihadist groups in the North-East, where Boko Haram and Islamic State–linked factions have waged a deadly insurgency for over a decade, displacing millions and killing tens of thousands.
