Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have repelled a coordinated attack by suspected ISWAP terrorists on the Headquarters of 27 Brigade and the Buni Gari Checkpoint in Yobe State, killing no fewer than 50 insurgents and recovering a large cache of arms and ammunition.

The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, May 8, 2026, when heavily armed terrorists launched assaults from multiple directions under the cover of darkness.

Military sources said the insurgents first attacked from the western flank before reinforcing from the southern axis through Ganinga Junction and later from the south-western flank in an apparent attempt to encircle troops.

However, soldiers reportedly mounted stiff resistance, employing indirect fire and coordinated defensive tactics that forced the attackers into retreat after suffering heavy casualties.

According to the military, the terrorists fled in disarray, evacuating some of their dead and wounded fighters. Blood trails were reportedly seen along their withdrawal routes, while troops maintained full control of the brigade location throughout the battle.

A follow-up exploitation operation led to the recovery of 10 terrorist corpses within the vicinity of the camp, while intelligence sources indicated that more than 20 additional bodies were discovered in bushes around Gashua, Azare, and Kamuya.

The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI also played a major role in the operation by providing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance support, alongside precision air strikes on identified terrorist positions and fleeing fighters.

Military authorities stated that the air interdiction missions neutralised at least 20 additional terrorists during pursuit operations along escape corridors.

Items recovered from the scene include eight AK-47 rifles, two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), two Rocket-Propelled Grenade tubes, five RPG bombs, three RPG chargers, boxes of 7.62mm ammunition, loaded magazines, bandoliers of ammunition, and three Improvised Explosive Device(IED) canisters.

Troops, supported by volunteer forces, are currently conducting clearance and pursuit operations across the area to prevent the regrouping of fleeing insurgents.

The military added that some Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected(MRAP) vehicles and gun trucks sustained minimal damage during the encounter, while wounded personnel are receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition.