Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have foiled an early-morning attempt by terrorists operating from the Mandara Mountains to infiltrate Bitta, a community in Borno State, neutralising several insurgents and disrupting their operations.
The incident occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on December 18, 2025, when troops, aided by advanced surveillance systems, detected suspicious movements of terrorists advancing towards the community.
This was contained in a statement signed on Thursday by the Media Information Officer Joint Task Force, Lt. Sani Uba, and shared on the Nigerian Army’s Facebook page on Friday.
According to the statement, the troops exercised tactical restraint, allowing the assailants to move into an effective engagement range before launching a coordinated defensive response.
During the ensuing firefight, several terrorists were neutralised, including a high-profile fighter and his cameraman.
As the remaining insurgents attempted to flee, the Air Component of OPHK carried out follow-on precision strikes, further decimating the retreating elements and cutting off their escape routes.
Troops later conducted a thorough exploitation of the area, leading to the recovery of a cache of terrorist weapons and equipment.
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Items recovered included a camcorder, AK-47 rifles, bandoliers, handheld radios, 11 AK-47 magazines loaded with ammunition, seven mobile phones, PKT machine guns, belts of PKT and GPMG linked ammunition, as well as motorcycles and bicycles.
Further assessment of the area revealed blood trails and shallow graves, suggesting additional casualties among the terrorists during the ground engagement and subsequent air strikes.
According to the military, the operation has further boosted troops’ morale and underscored their commitment to denying terrorists freedom of action within the area of responsibility.
Lt. Uba stated that troops remain resolute in their determination to defeat all terrorist elements and restore lasting peace and stability across the North-East region.