Army ambushes Boko Haram convoy in Borno, kills 21
In a decisive blow to insurgent operations in the Northeast, troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation HADIN KAI successfully ambushed a Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province logistics convoy in Borno State. The high-impact engagement took place in the Sojiri and Kayamla communities after the military received intelligence that over 100 fighters had gathered to launch coordinated attacks and ferry supplies to their strongholds. This preemptive strike highlights the military’s ongoing efforts to dismantle the infrastructure supporting terrorism in the region.
The encounter turned into a fierce battle as the military moved to block the insurgents’ movement. According to an official statement released by the Nigerian Army on Sunday, “Acting on this intelligence, troops, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF, and local vigilantes, intercepted the terrorists around noon.” The military report further detailed the tactical nature of the clash, noting that “a firefight ensued, during which the terrorists attempted a rear-flanking attack, but troops responded effectively, dominating the engagement.”
Following the immediate confrontation, the Army conducted thorough sweeps of the surrounding forest area which confirmed the deaths of 21 terrorists. While many insurgents were neutralized on-site, several others are believed to have escaped into the dense terrain with varying degrees of gunshot injuries. The scale of the logistics disruption was evident in the variety of items recovered at the scene, which included bicycles, assorted food, clothing, drugs, medical supplies, torchlights, and a significant cache of various weapons and ammunition.
Lt. Col. Sani Uba, the Media Information Officer for the Joint Task Force (North East), has indicated that the mission is far from over. He noted that follow-up operations are currently ongoing to determine additional casualties and recover more items that may have been abandoned during the chaotic retreat of the surviving fighters. These mop-up exercises are crucial for ensuring that no remnant of the logistics hub remains functional for future insurgent activities.
The Nigerian Army maintains that this operation serves as a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of intelligence-led joint security efforts in disrupting terrorist networks and their logistics. By integrating the local knowledge of the CJTF and vigilantes with military precision, the troops have successfully protected nearby communities from planned aggression. This victory reinforces the current strategy of targeting the supply chains that keep extremist groups operational in the North East
