Troops eliminate top Boko Haram Commander, Abu Khalid, 10 others in Borno night raid

Stories by Olakunle Oke

In a major blow to the leadership of the Boko Haram terrorist group, troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have eliminated a senior commander, Abu Khalid, alongside 10 other fighters during a decisive night operation in Borno State.

Abu Khalid, identified by intelligence sources as the second-in-command of the insurgent group in the Sambisa Forest, was neutralised on Saturday night when troops of Sector 1, supported by the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), engaged the terrorists in the Komala general area of Konduga Local Government Area.

The strike, conducted around 11:00 p.m., was part of the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity.

This tactical success came barely 24 hours after troops neutralised another notorious Boko Haram/ISWAP commander, known as Julaibib, in the Gujba axis of the Timbuktu Triangle, underscoring a surge in military pressure on terrorist enclaves across the North East.

Military sources described Abu Khalid as a pivot in the terrorist hierarchy, responsible for coordinating attacks and logistics across the Sambisa axis. His death is expected to significantly degrade the group's operational capacity in the region.

During the exploitation of the scene, troops recovered a cache of arms and supplies, including five AK-47 rifles, loaded magazines, several bicycles, assorted logistics, food supplies, and a large quantity of medical consumables.

The military confirmed that no casualties were recorded among the troops.

The High Command commended the soldiers for their resilience and urged them to maintain the momentum as clearance operations continue across the Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountains, and the Timbuktu Triangle.