Troops Kill 48 ISWAP Terrorists, Recover Large Cache of Arms in Borno, Yobe

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja 

Troops of the Nigerian military under Operation HADIN KAI have neutralised 48 terrorists and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition following successful operations against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno and Yobe states.

The operations, conducted between October 29 and 30, 2026, involved the foiling of coordinated terrorist attacks on military positions in Bitta, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and the North East Theatre Training School (NETTS), Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

In Bitta, troops, supported by air assets, successfully repelled an attempted terrorist assault on the night of October 29, inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers and disrupting their planned offensive.

Similarly, troops launched a counter-offensive against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who attacked NETTS in Buni Yadi on October 29, with the engagement extending into the early hours of October 30.

The approximately five-hour operation, coordinated by the Theatre Command, involved the effective deployment of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities, alongside coordinated air and ground operations.

The military said the counter-offensive resulted in the neutralisation of 48 terrorists and the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons and ammunition.

Items recovered include 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), one 60mm mortar, 105 AK-47 magazines and two video cameras.

Others are 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 engagements came at a cost, as one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice, while two others sustained minor injuries and are responding to treatment.

Despite the casualties, the military said troops' morale remains high as they sustain operations against terrorist elements across the North-East Theatre.

The Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed these developments in a statement issued on Friday, October 30, 2026.

He said the latest operational successes underscored the combat effectiveness, coordination and determination of troops to deny terrorists freedom of action across the theatre.

According to him, the heavy casualties suffered by the insurgents and the recovery of their weapons and ammunition represent another significant setback to their operational capabilities.