Nigerian troops disrupt terror networks, free hostages

Troops repel Lakurawa attack in Kebbi as banditry intensifies across state.

Nigerian troops have dismantled terrorist logistics networks during a week-long operation, capturing 56 collaborators and seizing thousands of rounds of ammunition, weapons, and motorcycles that fueled criminal activity nationwide. The military’s efforts targeted arms supply chains, kidnapping hideouts, and suspected informants across four geopolitical zones, while also freeing 42 hostages and killing 60 terrorists in direct confrontations.

The Armed Forces of Nigeria led the crackdown, which aimed to disrupt the flow of supplies to armed groups operating in the North-East, North-West, North-Central, and South-East. Michael Onoja, director of defence media operations, confirmed the results in an operational update, detailing how troops intercepted suppliers at border regions and dismantled stockpiles hidden in remote forests.

In the North-East, Operation Hadin Kai arrested 50 suspected terrorists and logistics suppliers, including individuals accused of providing supplies to groups active near the Nigeria-Niger border. Among those detained were three suppliers intercepted in Damboa and two fighters from Niger’s Diffa region, who were attempting to obtain ammunition and weapons for terrorists operating along the border.

Troops also raided motor parks in Maiduguri on November 5, arresting 36 suspects connected to terrorist supply networks. The operation sought to sever the channels through which armed groups obtain weapons and operational support.

The military recovered 48 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, and 105 magazines during clashes in Yobe State alone. In Borno, troops found seven additional bodies, an RPG tube, and four RPG bombs after repelling an infiltration attempt near Bitta.

The operations extended beyond arms recovery. In the North-Central, troops in Kogi and Niger states engaged suspected kidnappers in Edimogbo and Obele forests, seizing 1,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, six motorcycles, and destroying a hideout. A separate raid in Niger State rescued 15 hostages and recovered two AK-47 rifles, three RPG bombs, and 33 motorcycles.

The disruptions forced some fighters to surrender. Between November 2 and 4, 12 terrorists and their families turned themselves in near Banki and Gwoza in Borno, citing sustained military pressure and infighting between Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) factions.

Rescues and arrests across regions

In the North-West, Operation Fansan Yamma rescued 18 hostages in separate operations in Kebbi and Zamfara states. On October 30, troops responded to a distress call from Ribah in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area and cleared the Ribah-Dirindaji Road. A subsequent search-and-rescue operation and night pursuit towards Rambo Village forced terrorists to abandon seven kidnapped victims.

The South-East saw limited but significant action. In Abia State, troops rescued a hostage after an attack on a compound in Umunneochi. Meanwhile, in Anambra, a search of a shop near a Marine Outpost uncovered a pump-action rifle, a damaged hunting rifle, and 13 cartridges, indicating local arms caches used to intimidate communities.

The military’s operations reflect a broader strategy to weaken armed groups by targeting their support systems. Chief of Defence Staff Olufemi Oluyede commended troops for their efforts, while urging citizens to report suspicious activity through the toll-free line 193 and deny criminals access to supplies.

The military’s operations in the North-East included a major clash near the Timbuktu Triangle, where troops repelled terrorists attempting to advance toward Buni Yadi in Yobe State on October 29. The engagement resulted in 48 terrorists killed, along with the recovery of 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four GPMGs, a 60mm mortar, and 105 magazines. Two video cameras were also seized, likely used for documenting attacks or coordinating movements.

Further south along the withdrawal route, troops found three more bodies, an additional AK-47, and 188 rounds of ammunition near Apama and Jauro Bashir on October 31. That same day, a separate operation near Bitta in Borno’s Gwoza Local Government Area thwarted an infiltration attempt. After securing the area, troops recovered seven more terrorist bodies, four AK-47s, an RPG tube, four RPG bombs, three RPG chargers, a PKM machine gun, and a radio—equipment indicating coordinated planning for a larger assault.

Additional rescues and arrests in separate operations

Military forces in Borno State freed a woman who had escaped captivity in the Mandara Mountains near Hudugum on November 2. The rescue occurred along the Gwoza-Limankara Road after local reports prompted a patrol to the area.