The Nigerian military has announced that its Air Component under the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, has neutralised more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a prominent commander, in an air strike on a terrorist enclave in Borno State.
The military said the operation was conducted on October 10, 2026, at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, following intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists were preparing to launch coordinated attacks against military personnel operating in the area.
According to the military, the intelligence-driven operation targeted an enclave occupied by ISWAP fighters within Sector 3 of the Operation HADIN KAI area of responsibility.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 12, 2026, and signed by Captain Mohammed Goni, Military Information Officer at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, the military said the strike was launched after credible intelligence revealed a concentration of terrorists at the location.
Goni explained that troops responded swiftly to the intelligence by conducting targeted aerial surveillance to identify terrorist movements around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities before engaging the identified targets.
Following the surveillance, the Air Component carried out a precision strike on a building occupied by the fighters.
“Preliminary Human Intelligence, Battle Damage Assessment indicates that over 40 terrorists, including a prominent ISWAP Qaid (commander), were neutralized in the strike,” the statement said.
The military disclosed that the operation also destroyed two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles allegedly used by the fighters for movement, logistics and offensive operations.
According to the statement, the destruction of the vehicles and motorcycles is expected to significantly weaken the group’s operational capabilities, disrupt its logistical network and undermine its reported plans to attack military positions and surrounding communities.
The military further revealed that intelligence gathered after the operation indicated that the targeted fighters belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, which it described as a specialised mobile fighting unit responsible for conducting patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining terrorist activities in the area.
The military said the destruction of the enclave and the associated operational assets represented a significant setback for the group, particularly its ability to organise attacks, move fighters and sustain operations across the Lake Chad region.
“Further assessment is ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the damage inflicted,” Goni said.
The latest operation comes amid ongoing military efforts to weaken insurgent groups operating across Nigeria’s North-East, particularly in Borno State, where ISWAP and Boko Haram have continued to pose security challenges to military formations and vulnerable communities.
The military maintained that the strike demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led, technology-enabled and coordinated air operations in dismantling terrorist networks, disrupting hostile activities and denying armed groups freedom of action.
It added that the operation reflected the sustained operational momentum of troops under Operation HADIN KAI in degrading terrorist capabilities and strengthening security across the region.
The Joint Task Force (North East) also reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying coordinated air and ground operations against terrorist groups operating within its area of responsibility.
“The Joint Task Force North East remains resolute in sustaining relentless, coordinated air and ground operations to eliminate terrorist threats, protect vulnerable communities and consolidate ongoing efforts towards restoring lasting peace and stability in the region,” Goni added.