By Charles Maduka
Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East, under Operation HADIN KAI, have eliminated a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province and disrupted several terror-related activities in Borno State.
In a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the task force, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the military disclosed that the slain commander, identified as Julaibib, was operating within the Gujba axis of the Timbuktu Triangle.
According to the statement, intelligence reports confirmed that Julaibib was killed during a fierce encounter with troops around Kimba in Damboa Local Government Area. The operation reportedly caused significant confusion among ISWAP fighters in the area, with several of them neutralised.
The military said the development has dealt a serious blow to the group’s command and control structure in the region, weakening its operational capacity.
The troops, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, also carried out a successful ambush between Ngazalgana and Lamusheri communities, where three terrorists were killed. Others reportedly escaped with gunshot wounds.
During the operation, two AK-47 rifles were recovered from the scene, while the fleeing insurgents abandoned their positions under heavy fire from the troops.
In another operation at Tsokorok in Gwoza Local Government Area, troops engaged Boko Haram and ISWAP elements in an ambush, forcing them to retreat. One terrorist was killed, while no casualties were recorded among the soldiers. Two motorcycles were recovered after the clash.
The Joint Task Force further reported achievements in Adamawa State, where troops responded to a distress call from Barama community in Mubi North Local Government Area and successfully foiled an armed robbery attempt.
The statement revealed that two suspects who attempted to rob a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, were arrested. One of the suspects sustained a gunshot injury and was taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Mubi for treatment.
Items recovered from the suspects included three cutlasses, two laptops, four mobile phones and a power bank. The suspects were later handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation.
Earlier, troops, in collaboration with local vigilantes, conducted a patrol along the Amtasa–Washim axis in Hong Local Government Area. During the patrol, they encountered terrorists and engaged them with intense gunfire, forcing them to flee in disarray.
The patrol team also rescued a woman who had been abducted by the terrorists and recovered weapons and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle, a submachine gun and several rounds of assorted ammunition.
The military added that the overall security situation across the theatre of operations remains stable, reaffirming its commitment to protecting lives and property, dismantling terrorist networks and working with local communities and key stakeholders to restore lasting peace and economic stability in the North-East.
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