Troops sustain offensive in Magumeri, kill five terrorists, recover arms

Troops sustain offensive in Magumeri, kill five terrorists, recover arms

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have neutralised five Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists during a fierce encounter in the Magumeri axis of Borno State, as part of ongoing Operation Desert Sanity IV.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was launched following credible intelligence on the movement of terrorists marauding around Goni Dunari village in two vehicles and on foot, setting houses ablaze.

Acting promptly on the intelligence, the troops, in collaboration with the Magumeri Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), embarked on an aggressive fighting patrol to intercept the fleeing insurgents.

The sources said that on approaching the terrorists’ location, the insurgents attempted to escape toward Damjiyakiri village, prompting a sustained pursuit that lasted over four hours.

Upon making contact, the troops swiftly deployed into assault formation and opened fire on the fleeing terrorists, killing five on the spot while others scattered in disarray, many of them believed to be wounded judging from blood trails observed at the scene.

Items recovered from the encounter included one AK-47 rifle with registration number 06798, five magazines (three empty and two loaded), 31 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Itel mobile phone, and a dagger.

The sources confirmed that the troops recorded no casualties during the operation, and all equipment remained intact. The patrol covered a total distance of 92 kilometres before returning to base.

Operation Desert Sanity IV, currently ongoing across parts of northern Borno, forms part of a broader offensive to eliminate remnants of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists still hiding within the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin and the Magumeri–Kukawa–Gubio axis.

Security analysts say the continued success of ground patrols under Operation Hadin Kai reflects improved coordination between the Nigerian Army, Air Component and local vigilante forces, contributing to the sustained stability across liberated communities in the state.

Troops sustain offensive in Magumeri, kill five terrorists, recover arms