Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, have repelled a coordinated and heavily armed assault by suspected ISWAP terrorists on the headquarters of the 27 Brigade and the Buni Gari military checkpoint in Yobe State, killing no fewer than 50 insurgents and recovering a significant cache of arms and ammunition in one of the most intense confrontations recorded in the theatre in recent months.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, May 8, 2026, when terrorists launched a multi-directional offensive on military positions in Buni Gari under the cover of darkness, striking from the western flank before reinforcing their assault from the southern axis through Ganinga Junction and subsequently from the south-western corridor in a calculated attempt to overwhelm troops and breach the camp simultaneously from multiple directions.
Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said in a statement that troops mounted fierce and immediate resistance, deploying coordinated offensive and defensive tactics supported by indirect firepower to repel the attackers and inflict devastating casualties on the insurgent force.
The terrorists suffered catastrophic losses during the engagement and were forced to retreat in disarray, evacuating some of their dead and wounded members as they fled. Blood trails discovered along escape routes used by the retreating insurgents further indicated the scale of casualties sustained during the encounter.
Military exploitation operations conducted in the immediate aftermath of the battle led to the recovery of at least 10 terrorist corpses within the vicinity of the camp, while intelligence reports indicated that more than 20 additional bodies were scattered across surrounding bush areas around Gashua, Azare, and Kamuya.
The Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai played a decisive role in the outcome, providing Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance support alongside precision air strikes on confirmed terrorist positions and retreating fighters. Military authorities disclosed that the air strikes accounted for the elimination of at least 20 additional terrorists as fighter aircraft pursued fleeing insurgents along identified withdrawal routes.
Items recovered from the scene included eight AK-47 rifles, two General Purpose Machine Guns, two Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers, five RPG bombs, three RPG chargers, boxes of 7.62mm ammunition, fully loaded magazines, bandoliers of ammunition, and three Improvised Explosive Device canisters, which the military described as evidence of the scale and intensity of the failed offensive.
Troops supported by volunteer forces are currently conducting aggressive follow-up operations across the area to track fleeing insurgents and prevent any attempt at regrouping or reestablishing positions in the immediate vicinity.
The military confirmed that some Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and gun trucks sustained minor damage during the confrontation, while wounded personnel were receiving treatment and described as being in stable condition.
Operation Hadin Kai confirmed the death of two soldiers during the battle, paying tribute to the fallen personnel as gallant troops who paid the supreme price in defence of the nation. “Their sacrifice embodies the highest traditions of service, courage, and unwavering commitment to the defence of the nation,” the statement said.
The military described the failed assault as further evidence of the growing desperation of terrorist groups facing sustained and intensifying operational pressure across the North East, and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining operational dominance and protecting civilian populations throughout the theatre.
