By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have sustained offensive operations across the theatre under Operation DESERT SANITY V, recording notable gains in ongoing counter terrorism efforts, including the neutralisation of terrorists, arrest of suspects, and surrender of a terrorist member.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.
According to the statement, troops, in collaboration with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), engaged terrorists advancing from Yale towards the Sambisa Forest axis which lead to an encounter with 4 terrorists neutralised, while one AK-47 rifle with ammunition and food items suspected to be part of terrorist logistics supply recovered.
The statement added that troops returned safely to base without casualties revealing that sustained offensive operations conducted across major routes, including Dambboa–Maiduguri, Dambboa–Gwoza, and the Goniri axis, effectively denied terrorists freedom of movement and disrupted their activities within the area.
In a related development, troops deployed at Kanama arrested 2 suspected terrorist collaborators during a stop and search operation recovering items from the suspects including clothing and personal effects believed to be linked to terrorist logistics support.
According to the statement preliminary investigations also uncovered incriminating digital materials suggesting possible affiliation with terrorist groups with the suspects currently in custody for further investigation.
Similarly, troops recorded the surrender of a suspected member of Boko Haram/ISWAP at a checkpoint in Kukawa Local Government Area. The individual reportedly claimed to have been abducted earlier in the year and coerced into joining the group and is currently undergoing profiling and further investigation.
The Command reassured the public of its commitment to restoring lasting peace, security, and economic stability in the North East region, urging citizens to provide timely and credible information to security agencies.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their resilience and gallantry, urging them to sustain the current operational momentum.