MAIDUGURI — In a weekend of intense kinetic engagements, troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) successfully repelled a series of coordinated assaults by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists across multiple Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Borno State.
The encounters, which occurred between the late hours of February 28 and the early hours of March 1, 2026, resulted in the neutralization of several insurgents and the recovery of a significant cache of high-caliber weaponry, including an armed drone and anti-aircraft guns.
Midnight Siege at Mayanti and Gajiram
The most heated engagement took place at FOB Mayanti on February 28. Despite being targeted by a large group of insurgents using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and ambushes to block reinforcements, the troops held their ground. Following a fierce gun battle, the military confirmed five terrorists killed.
Among the items recovered at Mayanti were three PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, two RPG-7 tubes, and several AK-47 and FN rifles. However, the victory came at a heavy price, as one Nigerian Army officer was killed in action.
Hours later, at approximately 01:15 AM on March 1, the terrorists launched a secondary assault on FOB Gajiram. This time, the insurgents utilized armed drones alongside conventional RPGs. The military, supported by rapid air assets, thwarted the attack, recovering three bodies and an armed drone abandoned by the retreating suspects.
Intelligence-Led Offensives
Beyond the defensive successes, Sector 2 troops conducted “sweep-and-clear” operations in Kayawa Village and Gujba Local Government Area. These raids led to the arrest of two confirmed ISWAP logistics suppliers and the destruction of medical structures used to treat wounded insurgents.
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In a statement issued on Sunday, the Media Information Officer for OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, noted that the desperate nature of these attacks—utilizing everything from drones to poisoned arrows—indicates that the terrorists’ logistics and leadership structures are under severe strain.
”All locations remain firmly under our control,” Uba stated. “The scale of recoveries and confirmed enemy losses further underscores the degrading combat capacity of ISWAP elements in the North East.”
