Troops said they repelled an attack by fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) near the country’s northeastern frontier, rescuing kidnapped civilians and arresting suspected suppliers in a series of operations that military officials said continue to squeeze insurgent networks.
In a post on the Army’s official X account, the military said troops attached to Operation HADIN KAI forced ISWAP fighters to withdraw after a “fierce exchange of gunfire” at a forward operating base in Ngala Local Government Area.
The statement said insurgents briefly breached a section of the base’s perimeter before troops counterattacked, killing several fighters and wounding others. One soldier was reported killed and two military “gun trucks” and other equipment were damaged, the Army said.
Separately, troops from the 115 Task Force Battalion conducting search-and-rescue operations in Askira/Uba Local Government Area recovered two abductees from a suspected terrorist hideout on July 7, the military said.
Army also said they seized roughly N1.2 million in cash along with food and other supplies believed to have supported insurgent activity. The rescued victims were moved to a secure location for medical care and psychosocial support, the army said.
Acting on intelligence, soldiers from the 232 Battalion arrested an alleged criminal in Gombi, Adamawa State, and recovered an AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 28 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, according to the military. The suspect is in custody as investigations continue.
In Borno’s Mobbar Local Government Area, troops from the 149 Battalion said they detained two suspected logistics suppliers and recovered cash, a Volkswagen Golf, construction materials and household goods suspected to be destined for insurgents.
The suspects are being interrogated, the army said.
Troops from the 24 Task Force Brigade, working with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, also conducted a clearance around Wulgo and recovered a sack of assorted illicit drugs allegedly abandoned by fleeing fighters.
The military described the operations as part of sustained, intelligence-driven pressure on insurgent groups across the theater, aimed at disrupting supply chains, restricting movement and bolstering security across Borno and Adamawa states.
