The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI has neutralised more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a prominent commander, in a precision airstrike on a terrorist enclave in Badu Village, south of Gudumbali, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.
The strike, conducted on October 10, 2026, targeted the terrorists’ hideout following intelligence reports that ISWAP fighters were planning coordinated attacks on troops operating within Sector 3 of the Joint Task Force’s area of responsibility.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Military Information Officer at the Headquarters of Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni and made available to The News Chronicle, the operation was launched after credible intelligence indicated a concentration of terrorists preparing to attack military positions.
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Acting on the intelligence, the Air Component conducted targeted aerial surveillance, tracked terrorist movements around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities, and subsequently struck a building occupied by the fighters.
Preliminary human intelligence and battle damage assessments indicated that more than 40 terrorists, including a prominent ISWAP Qaid (commander), were killed in the operation.
The airstrike also destroyed two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles used by the terrorists for transportation, logistics and offensive operations, significantly weakening their operational capabilities and disrupting their planned attacks on troops and nearby communities.
Further intelligence revealed that the fighters belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, a specialised mobile unit responsible for patrols, attack coordination and sustaining terrorist operations in the area.
The destruction of the enclave and its associated assets represents a major setback for the group’s ability to launch attacks and maintain its activities across the Lake Chad region.
The military said further assessments were ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage inflicted during the operation.
It added that the successful strike demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-driven, technology-enabled air operations in dismantling terrorist networks, disrupting hostile activities and denying insurgents freedom of movement.
The operation, according to the statement, also underscored the sustained offensive momentum of troops under Operation HADIN KAI in degrading terrorist capabilities and strengthening security across Nigeria’s North-East.
The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to sustained and coordinated air and ground operations aimed at eliminating terrorist threats, protecting vulnerable communities and restoring lasting peace and stability to the region.
