The military on Wednesday said it killed over 30 terrorists during an offensive operation by troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in Borno State.
It also said that it delivered devastating precision air strikes that dismantled terrorist logistics networks of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) along the Lake Chad waterways around the Kaniram Island axis.
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“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), in sustained offensive operations conducted on the night of April 21/22, 2026, delivered devastating precision air strikes that dismantled ISWAP terrorist logistics networks along the Lake Chad waterways around the Kaniram Island axis in Northern Borno State.
“Acting on credible Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) inputs, OPHK air assets established a persistent overhead presence and confirmed the concentration of over 30 terrorist boats and associated terrorist elements coordinating movement and resupply activities,” the media information officer, Joint Task Force (North East), Lieutenant Colonel, Sani Uba, disclosed in a statement on Wednesday.
It further stated that target validation and positive identification were carefully achieved, ensuring high targeting fidelity prior to engagement.
According to the military, following deliberate confirmation in line with rules of engagement, the OPHK executed well-coordinated precision strikes that destroyed several boats and disrupted the terrorists’ logistics hub.
“This immediately degraded their mobility and ability to sustain operations. Real-time ISR enabled rapid follow-on strikes on fleeing and regrouping elements within nearby vegetation, leading to the neutralisation of over 30 terrorists.
“Surviving elements were observed escaping in disarray, reflecting a breakdown in their cohesion and command structure,” it stated.
In a related engagement, the military stated that additional precision-guided strikes were conducted at Sowolwolo in the Sambisa Forest axis following target fidelity acquisition with partners.
It also said that the strike took out three terrorist gun trucks and neutralised more terrorists within the vicinity.
“Battle Damage Assessment (BDA), supported by post-strike intelligence, confirmed significant enemy losses, with evidence of mass burial activities, especially by ISWAP elements in the Mallam Fatori axis, further underscoring the scale of attrition inflicted.
“Ground forces are currently exploiting the effects of these strikes to dominate adjoining areas and prevent any reconstitution by fleeing elements. These operations highlight OPHK’s sustained offensive pressure and effective air–land integration in dismantling terrorist networks, degrading their capabilities, and denying them freedom of action across the Joint Operations Area.
“The Military High Command commends troops for the impressive battle performance and urged them to sustain aggressive operations to dominate the battlespace. OPHK will continue to maintain relentless pressure on all terrorist elements until they are decisively defeated,” the statement added.
