…Cross-border Airstrikes, Intelligence Cripple Insurgents
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By Abu Adamu
A coordinated Nigerian-Nigerien military operation has dealt a crushing blow to ISWAP insurgents, with no fewer than 80 fighters, including three top commanders, killed in a failed assault on Mallam Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
The early Wednesday battle, which began around 12:50 a.m., saw heavily armed insurgents launch a coordinated attack on troops of Operation HADIN KAI, advancing on foot and deploying armed drones in a bid to overrun the 68 Battalion positions along the Nigeria–Niger border.
Military sources said the troops, acting on prior intelligence, mounted a fierce and well-coordinated resistance, supported by precision air power from both the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerien air assets, which proved decisive in routing the attackers.
Despite Niger’s formal withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in 2025, its forces played a critical role in the operation, providing real-time aerial surveillance at the onset of the operation and executing targeted airstrikes on fleeing insurgents, underscoring evolving bilateral security cooperation outside formal regional frameworks.
In a statement, Operation HADIN KAI spokesman, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, said the insurgents were “disrupted, routed, and neutralised in disarray,” with massive casualties inflicted on their ranks.
Among those killed were three high-profile commanders identified as Abdulrahman Gobara, Ba Yuram, and Abou Ayyuba, alongside several other field operatives. Military authorities described their elimination as a significant blow to the command structure and operational capacity of ISWAP in the Lake Chad region.
Troops also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including dozens of AK-47 rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, improvised explosive devices, and drone components, pointing to the scale and sophistication of the failed attempt.
Four Nigerian soldiers sustained injuries during the engagement but were said to be in stable condition after receiving prompt medical attention.
The successful defence of Mallam Fatori marks one of the most significant battlefield victories for Nigerian forces in recent months, coming amid renewed attacks and bombings in the North-East.
Military authorities said the operation highlights improved coordination, intelligence gathering, and combat readiness of troops, dismissing recent claims of setbacks in the counter-insurgency campaign.
The development also comes against the backdrop of heightened federal response to insecurity, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordering all service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to take charge of operations following deadly bombings in the Borno capital earlier this week.
The Chief of Defence Staff and other top commanders have since arrived in Maiduguri, holding high-level strategy sessions at the Theatre Command Headquarters as part of efforts to recalibrate ongoing military operations.
Security has been further reinforced across the state, with increased patrols, surveillance, and joint operations involving the military, police, and emergency agencies.
The latest offensive and the scale of insurgent losses in Mallam Fatori are expected to boost troop morale and reinforce the government’s claim that the war against terrorism is being steadily won, even as security forces remain on high alert over the possibility of retaliatory attacks.