Troops from the Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI, operating under the 21 Special Armoured Brigade, on October 17, 2025, successfully thwarted an attempted Boko Haram attack near the Kashimri area of Bama Local Government in Borno State.
In addition, in a show of empathy and respect, the troops have appealed to the public and media to avoid sharing or releasing images of fallen personnel during operations “generally, until their next of kin may have been duly informed.”
This appeal was part of an official press release signed by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Appolonia ANELE, in Maiduguri on Monday.
According to the statement: “The troops had successfully located and destroyed identified Boko Haram camps in the area, thereby frustrating the terrorists’ plans to attack civilians and disrupt socio-economic activities in the area. During the operation, the troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce gun fight and neutralized several, while others suffered injuries.”
Tragically, the operation came at a cost, as Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, the Commanding Officer of the 202 Tank Battalion, along with several courageous soldiers, “paid the supreme price, as they fell in battle.”
The statement continued: “These brave heroes fought for the peace of our great nation, and their legacies shall endure forever. The Nigerian Army will continue to honor the weight of their sacrifices as their loss comes with the reminder of our unyielding resolve to stamp out the scourge of terrorism from our great nation, Nigeria.”
Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, the Chief of Army Staff, offered his “heartfelt condolences to the families of the departed” on behalf of the entire Nigerian Army.
“They were not just soldiers but fathers, brothers, and sons who expressed immeasurable courage by taking the last stand in the face of adversity, and we stand together in this time of grief.”
He further emphasized the Army’s continued determination to pursue terrorist groups until lasting peace is restored both in the region and across Nigeria.
As Anele reiterated, “In the spirit of respect and compassion, members of the public and the media are kindly advised to refrain from sharing or publishing images of personnel who have paid the supreme price during operations generally until their next of kin may have been duly informed. This is to preserve the dignity of such fallen heroes and protecting the privacy of their families.”