Troops of the Northeast Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have foiled an Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and ttack in Kukawa community and neutralised 27 of them in Borno state.

The military said the foiling of attack was carried out on 28 August, 2026 by Troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion deployed to the Kukawa community, located on the shores of Lake Chad.

Acting Media Information Officer of OPHK, Capt. Mohammed Goni, disclosed; “The ground troops have successfully foiled a terrorists attack on Kukawa town, by , neutralising several of them and significantly degrading the fighting capability and mobility of the terrorist group .

He said the killing of the over two dozen fidgeters was through a coordinated ground and air response of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

Prior to the neutralisation, Goni added: “At about 22:50 p.m on 28 August 2026, terrorists launched an attack on troops of 101 Special Forces Battalion deployed at Kukawa.

“The troops responded swiftly with effective direct and indirect fire, successfully repelling the attack and compelling the terrorists to withdraw towards the Cross Kauwa axis.”

He further revealed that during the fierce engagement, several terrorists were neutralised, while others were observed to have sustained gunshot wounds as they fled the area.

He said that subsequent exploitation by troops led to the recovery of terrorist corpses, further confirming casualties inflicted on the terrorists during the encounter.

“As the terrorists withdrew towards Cross Kauwa on motorcycles, the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI was promptly coordinated to interdict their movement,” he said.

Despite the challenging weather conditions, the Air Component successfully engaged terrorists taking cover under trees, neutralising an estimated 10 terrorists.

He explained that thereafter, the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets tracked about 20 motorcycles conveying fleeing terrorists towards the Tunbuns/Kangarwa axis.

“The intelligence enabled the Air Component to conduct a follow-up precision strike, neutralising an additional 15 terrorists and destroying 10 motorcycles, thereby further degrading the terrorists’ mobility and fighting capability,” he added.

During subsequent exploitation operations, ground troops recovered 2 motorcycles, neutralised an additional terrorist and recovered assorted ammunition and other items.

The coordinated ground and air action effectively disrupted the attack, interdicted the terrorists’ withdrawal and further degraded their ability to regroup or conduct sustained operations within the area.

Following the engagement, troops were immediately replenished by air with essential combat enablers to sustain operational effectiveness and maintain pressure on the terrorists.

Four personnel recorded no life threatening injuries during the engagement.

The wounded soldiers were promptly evacuated by air for further medical attention and are confirmed to be in stable condition.