Troops recover 5 more terrorist bodies, arms in Borno

By Abubakar Abubakar

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, have recovered the bodies of five Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists killed during a failed attack on troops in Kukawa Local Government Area, LGA, of Borno State.

The recovery was made on Thursday, September 3, 2026, during ongoing exploitation operations following the terrorists’ failed attack on troops in the area on August 29.

According to a statement by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, the bodies and arms were discovered by troops operating north-east of Kukawa towards the Jemmu-Alagarno axis.

Goni said the decomposing bodies were believed to be those of terrorists who sustained fatal injuries from air strikes conducted by Nigerian Air Force platforms under the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai during the earlier engagement.

He said the terrorists appeared to have abandoned their dead and wounded colleagues while withdrawing from the area under pressure from ground troops and supporting air operations.

During further searches of the area, the troops also recovered an AK-47 rifle, a solar panel, a camouflage shuttle bag, a prayer mat, empty ammunition links and a raincoat, among other items.

The military spokesperson said the bodies were buried in situ, while troops continued to exploit the general area before safely returning to their base.

He said the latest discovery had increased to nine the number of additional terrorist bodies recovered during exploitation operations following the failed attack on Kukawa.

According to him, the recovery is further evidence of the heavy losses suffered by the terrorists during the failed assault and their subsequent withdrawal from the area.

Goni said troops of Operation Hadin Kai remained vigilant and determined to sustain pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, deny them freedom of action and prevent them from regrouping or threatening communities across the North-East.

He commended the troops for their resilience and fighting spirit, assuring residents that military operations would continue to consolidate recent gains and create a more secure environment for socio-economic activities in the region.