No fewer than 34 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists were slain in a bloody battle on January 4, 2025, in Sabon Gari, which is in the Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, according to confirmation from Defence Headquarters.
The operation was described in detail by Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, in a statement issued on Wednesday.
He said that the terrorists, who were armed with gun trucks and riding motorcycles, tried to exact revenge on Nigerian troops for the recent deaths of their commanders. However, a concerted attack by both air and ground forces quickly overpowered the terrorists.
According to General Buba, the clash began when the terrorists, seeking revenge for the deaths of their leaders, engaged in a firefight with troops stationed in Sabon Gari. The attackers were caught off guard by a returning patrol of troops, who foiled their plans just as the assault commenced. In a timely intervention, a reinforcement team—comprising members of the Civilian Joint Taskforce, local vigilantes, and other hybrid forces—arrived on the scene and swiftly defeated the terrorists.
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The reinforcements encountered an improvised explosive device (IED) during the operation, which injured the vigilante commander. Despite this setback, the team managed to neutralize the fleeing militants.
The air component of Operation Hadin Kai also conducted precision airstrikes against the fleeing terrorists, further crippling their ranks. A battle damage assessment revealed that 34 terrorists were killed, while significant weapons and ammunition were seized, including 23 AK-47 rifles and over 200 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
The successful operation underscores the continued efforts of the Nigerian military in combating Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents in the northeast, as the forces intensify their push to neutralize remnants of the terrorist groups in the region.
