By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
Troops of Sector 2, North-East Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have foiled an alleged Boko Haram extortion mission and neutralised a suspected terrorist driver during an operation along the Paya-Kafiya axis of Yobe State.
The military disclosed that the operation, conducted on July 19, also led to the recovery of ammunition, a loaded AK-47 magazine and other items believed to support terrorist logistics.
Acting Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Capt. Mohammed Goni, made this known in a statement issued on Monday.
According to him, the operation disrupted a suspected plot by Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) members to extort residents of Bukarti village through the collection of illegal levies.
He said troops acted on credible intelligence indicating that two Volkswagen Golf vehicles and motorcycles were conveying suspected terrorists to the community for the operation.
“Troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bukarti, in conjunction with the 27 Task Force Brigade, swiftly deployed an aggressive fighting patrol to the Paya-Kafiya axis on July 19, 2026.
“During the operation, troops made contact with the terrorists and engaged them with superior firepower. One of the Volkswagen Golf vehicles was immobilised and its driver was neutralised, while the remaining terrorists abandoned their vehicle and fled into the surrounding bush with gunshot wounds,” Goni said.
He added that follow-up exploitation operations conducted on July 20 along the Paya-Kafiya-Garin Gada axis resulted in the recovery of the abandoned Volkswagen Golf vehicle, 25 rounds of belted PKT ammunition, one loaded AK-47 magazine, 15 empty PKT ammunition cases, assorted drugs, including paracetamol and nicotine products, as well as mechanical tools suspected to have been used in supporting terrorist logistics.
Goni said the successful operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations in counter-insurgency efforts.
He noted that Operation HADIN KAI remained committed to dismantling terrorist logistics networks, disrupting illicit revenue sources and denying insurgents freedom of movement across the North-East.
The latest operation is part of sustained military offensives aimed at degrading the operational capabilities of Boko Haram and ISWAP in the region.