Operation Hadin Kai success as troops neutralise nine terrorists and rescue 74 NYSC members in Borno counterterrorism operations

Operation Hadin Kai success was firmly on display in Borno State as troops neutralised nine terrorists at Yanaga Ari in the Mafa Local Government Area and rescued 74 National Youth Service Corps members abducted along the Buratai–Kamuya Road.

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The two operations, carried out by different sectors of the Joint Task Force, underscored the military’s intensified pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP elements.

The Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Uba Sanni, confirmed the developments in a statement on Thursday.

He said the coordinated feats followed the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu’s recent directive urging troops to sustain aggressive clearance operations against terrorist enclaves.

Sanni explained that as part of Operation Desert Sanity IV, troops of Sector 1, working with the Civilian Joint Task Force, confronted ISWAP fighters on 12 November 2025 at Yanaga Ari.

The encounter led to the neutralisation of nine terrorists and the recovery of five AK-47 rifles, ammunition and several logistical items.

Detailing the parallel rescue mission, Sanni said troops of Sector 2 freed 74 corps members, comprising 36 men and 38 women, who had been abducted while travelling for a Christian evangelism mission.

Their vehicles had broken down at night near a known hotspot for kidnappers, leaving them vulnerable.

A CCTV system monitored by troops detected suspicious activity involving three buses, prompting an immediate deployment to the scene.

The NYSC members were successfully extracted and are currently being housed at the Tukur Yusuf Buratai Institute pending arrangements for their onward movement.

The military high command commended the troops for their swift and decisive action, describing their efforts as a powerful demonstration of commitment to restoring peace in the North-East.

They urged continued vigilance and operational focus as counterterrorism efforts intensify across the region.

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Sanni encouraged residents to support ongoing operations by providing credible information that could help dismantle remaining terrorist networks and secure the region from criminal activity.