The Nigerian military has thwarted an alleged Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) operation to extort money from communities in Yobe State, killing one suspected terrorist, recovering weapons and logistics items, and disrupting what it described as another key funding channel for the insurgent group.
The operation, carried out by troops of Sector 2, Operation HADIN KAI, also forced several fleeing terrorists to abandon a vehicle after sustaining gunshot wounds during a fierce exchange of fire.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the successful operation followed credible intelligence that Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters were advancing in two Volkswagen Golf vehicles and on motorcycles to collect illegal levies from residents in communities within Yobe State.
According to the military, troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bukarti, working in collaboration with the 27 Task Force Brigade, launched a well-coordinated fighting patrol along the Paya Kafiya axis on July 19, 2026, intercepting the terrorists before they could execute their mission.
The troops immediately engaged the insurgents with what the military described as overwhelming firepower, resulting in the destruction of one of the terrorists’ operational vehicles.
The driver of the vehicle was killed during the encounter, while four other suspected terrorists escaped into nearby bushes with gunshot wounds, abandoning the vehicle as troops tightened their offensive.
The military said exploitation operations conducted the following day along the Paya Kafiya–Garin Gada axis led to the recovery of the abandoned Volkswagen Golf vehicle and several items believed to have supported the terrorists’ operations.
Recovered items included 25 rounds of belted PKT ammunition, a loaded AK-47 magazine, 15 empty PKT ammunition cases, assorted drugs, including paracetamol and nicotine products, as well as mechanical tools used to sustain the group’s logistics network.
Captain Goni said the operation dealt a significant blow to Boko Haram/ISWAP by preventing the collection of illegal taxes from vulnerable communities, thereby cutting off a vital source of funding for the insurgents.
He noted that the success of the mission underscores the effectiveness of intelligence-driven military operations in disrupting terrorist logistics, dismantling illicit revenue networks and restricting the operational freedom of insurgent groups across the North-East.
The military reiterated that Operation HADIN KAI remains committed to sustaining relentless offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP, working alongside other security agencies and with the support of citizens to restore lasting peace, security and stability across the region.