Troops Kill 44 terrorists in Borno, Lake Chad

Troops of the Nigerian military have neutralised 44 suspected terrorists and injured several others during separate intelligence-led operations in Borno State and the Lake Chad region.

The operations, conducted on October 26 and 28, 2026, targeted terrorist hideouts and activities in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State and parts of the Lake Chad region.

The Theatre Command of Operation HADIN KAI disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Maiduguri.

The statement, signed by the Acting Military Information Officer, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the operations followed intelligence reports and surveillance observations.

According to the military, troops engaged suspected terrorists at different locations in Kukawa on October 26.

Goni said a battle damage assessment showed that 28 terrorists were neutralised, while six others sustained injuries during the encounters.

In a separate operation on October 28, the Maritime Component of Operation HADIN KAI, deployed from the Naval Base Lake Chad in Baga, launched offensive operations against terrorist targets.

The military said preliminary assessments indicated that eight terrorists were neutralised, while 10 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

It also disclosed that an air interdiction mission disrupted a suspected terrorist operation involving the planting of improvised explosive devices.

The statement said eight operatives were neutralised during the air operation, while their vehicle, motorcycles and IED materials were destroyed.

The military said the intervention prevented the suspected terrorists from proceeding with their planned activity.

It added that the operations reflected sustained pressure on terrorist networks through coordinated intelligence-driven military offensives.

The Theatre Command said Operation HADIN KAI remained committed to degrading terrorist capabilities, restricting their freedom of action and protecting communities across the North-East.

It urged residents to provide credible and timely information to security agencies to support ongoing operations and efforts to restore lasting peace in the region.