Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have recorded a major battlefield success after decisively repelling a multi-front attack launched by ISWAP terrorists on a Forward Operating Base in Mandaragirau, Borno State, in the early hours of Saturday, March 28, 2026.
The operation, executed by troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), demonstrated a high level of tactical coordination as soldiers engaged the insurgents with a combination of well-planned ambushes and a deliberate offensive-defensive strategy. The intense counterattack forced the terrorists into a disorderly withdrawal, effectively neutralising the threat to the base.
According to a statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI played a pivotal role in the success of the mission, providing close air support and real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), which enhanced the precision and effectiveness of ground troops’ kinetic operations.
In the aftermath of the initial engagement, troops launched aggressive follow-up operations along the terrorists’ escape routes, inflicting further heavy casualties. A total of about 38 terrorists were neutralised, with eight bodies recovered within the immediate vicinity of the battle. Credible human intelligence from local sources also indicated that over 30 additional bodies, along with abandoned weapons, were found scattered along the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere axis extending into the Timbuktu Triangle.
Evidence of the terrorists’ heavy losses was further confirmed by visible blood trails and abandoned combat equipment across the area of retreat.
Troops also recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including seven AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, four rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) bombs, and other assorted munitions. Notably, there were no fatalities recorded among the troops, although one Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle was hit by RPG fire. The injured personnel were immediately attended to and stabilised.
The scale of the victory sparked widespread jubilation among local communities, underscoring growing confidence in the military’s sustained offensive against insurgent elements in the North East.
“The scale of enemy losses has triggered widespread jubilation among local communities and highlights the sustained dominance of OPHK troops in denying terrorists freedom of action,” the statement noted.
The military further disclosed that exploitation operations are ongoing in the Garin Mallum–Garin Gajere corridor and surrounding fringes of the Timbuktu Triangle to recover additional bodies of the terrorists and consolidate the operational gains achieved.
Operation HADIN KAI continues to intensify efforts to dismantle terrorist networks in the region, reinforcing its commitment to restoring lasting peace and security across Nigeria’s North East.
