Troops of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, successfully repelled a coordinated terrorist attack on a military location at Kukareta in the early hours, eliminating 24 insurgents, recovering a significant cache of weapons, and demonstrating the sustained operational readiness of frontline personnel in one of Nigeria’s most challenging security theatres.
The attack began shortly after midnight and lasted until approximately 3:00 a.m., with troops executing a deliberate offensive-defensive operation that contained the assault, inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers, and forced the remaining terrorists into a disorderly retreat.
Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East, Lieutenant-Colonel Sani Uba, confirmed that ongoing exploitation of the battlefield had led to the recovery of a significant weapons cache, comprising 18 AK-47 rifles, three General Purpose Machine Guns, two PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, three RPG tubes, two mortar tubes, four hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines, and large quantities of belted 7.62mm ammunition for PKT systems.
Uba acknowledged that two personnel were wounded in action during the engagement but confirmed they had been stabilised. One reinforcing armoured tank sustained damage, with all its tyres blown out during the firefight.
He said exploitation operations were continuing to recover additional bodies and equipment along the terrorists’ withdrawal routes, which were littered with blood trails and medical consumables, indicating significant casualties among the attacking force beyond those already confirmed.
“This successful operation highlights the resilience, combat readiness, and fire superiority of Operation Hadin Kai troops in denying terrorists freedom of action,” Uba stated, adding that sustained offensive operations would continue to consolidate gains and decisively defeat terrorist elements across the Joint Operations Area.
