Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled an attempted terrorist attack in Kirawa, a border community between Nigeria and Cameroon in Borno State, killing 12 insurgents during the confrontation.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North East Operation Hadin Kai, Lt.-Col. Sanni Uba.
According to the statement, the attack occurred in the early hours of Friday in the Kirawa axis of Sector 1, where troops of the 153 Task Force Battalion are stationed. The terrorists reportedly attempted to infiltrate the military base but were met with strong resistance from soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force.
The statement read, “Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), under Operation DESERT SANITY and SIEGE OPERATIONS, have successfully thwarted an attempted attack by suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists on the troops location in the Kirawa axis of Sector 1 OPHK Area of Responsibility in the early hours of 22 May 2026.
“A number of the suspected terrorists attempted to infiltrate positions held by troops of 153 Task Force Battalion and associated forces along the Nigeria–Cameroon border axis. The attack was swiftly detected and met with overwhelming firepower from alert troops and CJTF, who held their ground and contained the assault.
“Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance assets, alongside platforms of the Air Component of OPHK and partner forces, provided coordinated support throughout the operation.”
Uba said 12 terrorists were confirmed dead following the exchange of fire, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.
Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons from the scene, including AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, ammunition and a PKT machine gun.
He added that troops, working with the Civilian Joint Task Force, have intensified clearance and pursuit operations to track down fleeing terrorists in the area.
“The Joint Task Force reassures the public of its unwavering commitment to sustaining operational pressure on terrorist elements until they are completely neutralised across the theatre,” he stated.
The military leadership praised the troops for their swift response and encouraged them to sustain ongoing operations against terrorist groups in the region.
