Troops of Operation Hadin Kai on Tuesday clashed with fleeing terrorists in Borno state, resulting in the death of an unspecified number of fighters from both sides
The encounter occurred after a clearance operation conducted by the troops across terrorist locations, including Tergejeri, Chiralia, and the Ajigin/Abirma general areas.
The Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force Northeast operation Hadin Kai, Lt Col Sani Uba, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said many terrorists were neutralised
The statement reads “Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have sustained their advance into the Timbuktu Triangle, recording significant operational gains and further degrading terrorist networks operating within the area.
“In the latest phase of operations, troops successfully cleared and dominated key terrorist locations across the triangle, including Tergejeri, Chiralia, and the Ajigin/Abirma general areas. triangle, including Tergejeri, Chiralia, and the Ajigin/Abirma general areas,” Sani said
According to him, during the conduct of the operations, troops made intermittent contact with fleeing terrorist elements and engaged them with high volumes of fire, resulting in the neutralisation of several terrorists.
“On 20 January 2026, while consolidating at a harbour area approximately 6 km North of Chilaria, troops encountered 2 Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED). Through vigilance and swift action, one VBIED was successfully neutralised. The second VBIED, however, breached the defensive position, affecting some logistics platforms.
“In the course of this attack, some gallant soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force paid the supreme price, while others sustained injuries.” He said
Sani added that the wounded were promptly evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters to the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital.
“Throughout the evacuation, Nigerian Air Force platforms from the Air Component in synergy with other Nigerian Army air platforms provided continuous overwatch to ensure the safe extraction of casualties and the security of ground forces neutralising more terrorists in the process” he stated
He, however, noted that in a further indication of the heavy losses suffered by the terrorists, troops discovered mass graves containing an estimated 20 terrorist bodies killed during encounters with troops in the Timbuktu Triangle and buried by their cohorts.
“This discovery exposes the scale of terrorist casualties and further discredits terrorist propaganda narratives
“Across the Theatre, the security situation remains generally stable. Troops’ morale and fighting efficiency remain high, and operations continue with sustained pressure on fleeing terrorist elements.
“Troops of OPHK remain resolute in their commitment to protect civilians, dismantle terrorist networks, and restore lasting peace and security across the North East,” the statement concluded.
