The Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai has neutralised over 50 suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists following precision air strikes on their withdrawal routes after a failed attack on Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the officer said the terrorists had, at about 7:30 p.m. on March 3, launched a coordinated assault on artillery positions in Ngoshe, a community located about 12 kilometres from Pulka and 31 kilometres from Gwoza town.

“The insurgents attempted to overrun the artillery positions in a surprise evening attack. Troops on ground responded effectively but conducted a tactical withdrawal under intense fire to preserve personnel and equipment while reinforcements were being mobilised,” he said.

The sources explained that the insurgents had adopted a hit-and-withdraw tactic, abandoning the scene before reinforcement troops fully secured the area.

The sources added that additional troops were immediately deployed, while surveillance platforms tracked the fleeing terrorists along identified withdrawal corridors.

“Upon receipt of real-time intelligence from ground troops, the surveillance aircraft were scrambled to engage the terrorists on their egress routes. The terrorists were sighted moving in clusters in both locations.

“Precision bombardment was conducted on confirmed target clusters and movement trails. Battle Damage Assessment indicates that over 50 terrorists were neutralised in two separate strike runs,” the officer said.

“The air-ground synergy under Operation Hadin Kai ensured that although the terrorists attempted to escape into forested enclaves, they were decisively engaged from the air.

“The strikes also disrupted their logistics and mobility capability within the Ngoshe–Pulka corridor,” he said.

The sources further stated that clearance and area domination operations were ongoing to forestall any regrouping attempts by the insurgents.

He noted that the Ngoshe–Gwoza axis remains a historically volatile corridor due to intermittent activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP remnants exploiting difficult terrain and proximity to cross-border forest zones.

“Operation Hadin Kai remains resolute in sustaining offensive pressure. The message is clear any attempt to attack our positions will attract overwhelming and coordinated firepower,” he said.

He assured residents of Gwoza and surrounding communities of the military’s commitment to protecting lives, supporting resettlement efforts, and consolidating gains recorded in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in Borno. (Zagazola, excluding headline)

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