Troops Neutralise 9 ISWAP Terrorists, Rescue 74 NYSC Members in Borno
Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have intensified their offensive against terrorist elements in the North East, recording significant breakthroughs in ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
This follows the recent directive by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu NAM, during an operational tour, where he charged troops to sustain relentless pressure on the remnants of insurgent groups through aggressive clearance and offensive operations.
In a statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, JTF North East Operation HADIN KAI, troops of Sector 1, supported by the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), engaged ISWAP terrorists on 12 November 2025 at Yanaga Ari in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.
During the encounter, nine terrorists were neutralised, while five AK-47 rifles, assorted ammunition, and various logistics supplies were recovered.
In a separate major success, troops of Sector 2 rescued seventy-four members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who had been abducted by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists along the Buratai–Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area.
The rescued corps members—36 males and 38 females—were travelling to Hawul on a Christian evangelism mission when their vehicles broke down near a notorious kidnapping corridor at night. A military patrol team was swiftly deployed after troops monitoring CCTV systems detected suspicious activity involving three buses at the location.
According to the statement, the NYSC members are currently being accommodated at the Tukur Yusuf Buratai Institute pending arrangements for their safe onward movement.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their gallantry, vigilance, and swift response, urging them to remain resolute in the mission to restore enduring peace to the North East.
The public is further encouraged to continue providing timely and credible information to support ongoing operations aimed at eliminating terrorism and criminality across the region.
