TROOPS of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have recovered the bodies of an additional five Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, alongside AK-47 rifles and other items, during ongoing exploitation operations in Borno State.
News Point Nigeria reports that the latest recovery followed the recent failed terrorist attack on troops in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State on August 29, 2026.
In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Friday, the Acting Military Information Officer of the Operation, Captain Mohammed Goni, said the recovery was made on September 3, 2026, when troops conducting exploitation operations north-east of Kukawa towards the Jemmu–Alagarno axis discovered the decomposing bodies of the terrorists.
Goni said the terrorists were believed to have sustained fatal injuries from air strikes by Nigerian Air Force platforms under the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai during the earlier engagement and their subsequent withdrawal.
“The discovery provides further evidence of the losses suffered by the terrorists during the failed attack and their subsequent withdrawal from the area. The terrorists had apparently abandoned their dead and wounded colleagues while fleeing under pressure from troops and supporting air operations,” the statement read in part.
During a further search of the area, troops also recovered one solar panel, a camouflage shuttle bag, a prayer mat, an empty ammunition link and a raincoat, among other items.
“The bodies of the terrorists were subsequently buried in situ, while troops continued to exploit the general area before returning safely to base,” the statement added.
Goni said the latest discovery brought to nine the number of additional terrorist bodies so far recovered during exploitation operations following the failed attack on Kukawa, in addition to other equipment and personal effects earlier recovered along the terrorists’ withdrawal route.
He said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai remained vigilant and determined to sustain pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, deny them freedom of action and prevent them from regrouping or threatening communities within the North-East zone.
The Joint Task Force (North East) also commended the troops for their “resilience and fighting spirit” and reassured the public that operations would continue to consolidate recent gains and create an increasingly secure environment for socio-economic activities across the region.
The latest operation comes a day after troops recovered additional items belonging to fleeing Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in the Alagarno axis, including motorcycles, blankets, a jackknife, prayer mat, cups, tea-making items, a rope, head warmer and bloodstained trousers, following the August 29 attack.
The continued exploitation operations are aimed at denying the terrorists freedom of action and preventing them from regrouping after the failed attack, as troops maintain pressure across the theatre.
