Troops Kill 48 ISWAP Fighters, Recover Large Cache of Weapons in Bitta, Buni Yadi
By Ali Mohammed Zanna, Maiduguri
Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, have killed 48 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and recovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition following separate counter-terrorism operations in Borno and Yobe states.
The military said the operations took place between October 29 and 30, 2026, after terrorists attempted to attack military positions in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and the North East Theatre Training School (NETTS) in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
In Bitta, troops successfully repelled a terrorist assault on the night of October 29, following a coordinated response involving ground forces and air support, which inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers.
Similarly, troops launched a decisive counter-offensive against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked the North East Theatre Training School in Buni Yadi.
The military described the engagement, which lasted approximately five hours, as a coordinated operation involving intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities, supported by air and ground forces.
According to the military, the operation resulted in the neutralisation of 48 terrorists and the recovery of substantial quantities of arms and ammunition.
The recovered weapons included 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns, one 60mm mortar, 105 AK-47 magazines and two video cameras.
Other recovered ammunition comprised 30 rounds of 12.7mm armour-piercing incendiary ammunition, 2,738 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 223 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 2,054 rounds of PKT ammunition.
However, the military disclosed that one soldier lost his life during the engagements, while two others sustained minor injuries and were receiving medical attention.
It added that troops remained in high spirits and continued to sustain offensive operations against terrorist elements across the North-East theatre.
The Acting Media Information Officer at Headquarters Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the latest operational successes demonstrated the combat effectiveness, coordination and determination of troops to deny terrorists freedom of movement.
He added that the losses suffered by the insurgents and the recovery of their weapons and ammunition represented a significant setback to their operational capabilities.
