The Nigerian military says troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised more than 50 terrorists and repelled multiple coordinated attacks on military formations across Borno and Yobe States.
The coordinated assaults, which occurred between midnight and 4 a.m. on Thursday, targeted troops’ positions in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko—communities within Sectors 1 and 2 of the Joint Operations Area.
In a statement released in Maiduguri, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East (Operation Hadin Kai), Lt.-Col. Sani Uba said the troops fought “gallantly and professionally” to repel the attacks and inflict heavy casualties on the insurgents.
“Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, with renewed vigour, successfully defeated terrorist attacks on multiple locations across the Joint Operations Area in the early hours of today, 23 October 2025,” Lt.-Col. Uba stated.
“Between midnight and 0400 hours, the terrorists launched coordinated assaults on troops’ positions in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko, situated in Sector 1 (Borno State) and Sector 2 (Yobe State), respectively. In all instances, troops stood firm, fought gallantly, and repelled the attacks, dealing the terrorists a heavy, decisive and bloody blow.”
He explained that the coordinated ground and air operations were reinforced by precision strikes from the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, leading to the neutralisation of more than 50 terrorists across all four locations.
“The precision strikes, coupled with enhanced battlefield awareness provided by the Theatre’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance assets, gave troops additional leverage and impetus to respond with overwhelming and lethal force,” he added.
According to the statement, troops also recovered 38 AK-47 rifles, seven PKT machine guns, five RPG tubes, two GPMGs, hand grenades, and thousands of assorted rounds of ammunition during the operation.
Lt.-Col. Uba noted that over 70 wounded terrorists were being pursued by ground forces while the Air Component maintained close coordination to clear the fleeing remnants.
“Intelligence reports, he said, revealed that the attackers who struck Dikwa and Gajibo came from the Cameroon axis, while those who targeted Katarko emerged from the Timbuktu Triangle, a known terrorist stronghold.
He also disclosed that some soldiers sustained injuries but were in stable condition, while a few vehicles and buildings in Mafa and Dikwa were damaged by RPG and drone attacks.
“Some of the gallant troops were wounded in action but are in stable condition. Some vehicles and buildings were also gutted by fire from the terrorists’ armed drones and RPG fire during the battle, especially in Mafa and Dikwa, where part of the defences were momentarily breached,” Uba said.
Despite the attacks, he confirmed that troops maintained control of all their positions and repelled the strikes with “renewed strength and professionalism.”
The statement concluded that the Military High Command had commended the troops for their bravery and commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
“Their steadfast performance once again reaffirms the military’s unwavering resolve and capacity to defend the nation’s territorial integrity,” Lt.-Col. Uba said.
