13 December 2025
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have successfully repelled a coordinated overnight assault by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Mairari, Borno State, killing several terrorists and forcing the rest to flee.
The attack, which began late on Friday, December 12, 2025, and stretched into the early hours of Saturday, was confirmed in a statement by the Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force North East, Lt Colonel Sani Uba.
According to the statement, ISWAP fighters attempted to breach the base using two Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs). However, vigilant troops detected the explosive-laden vehicles early and neutralised both threats, preventing any damage or penetration of the facility.
Lt Colonel Uba said the assault was crushed through coordinated ground and air operations, delivering what he described as a decisive blow to the terrorists’ operational capacity in the area.
“CCTV footage and field observations confirmed that several terrorists were killed during the engagement, while others sustained severe injuries as surviving elements evacuated their dead and wounded,” the statement noted.
Following the failed attack, troops of Sector 3, alongside the Theatre Command Quick Reaction Group, Nigeria Police Crack Team, and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), launched a mop-up operation around the area.
The follow-up operation led to the recovery of weapons, ammunition, and logistics abandoned by the terrorists as they retreated, further degrading ISWAP’s fighting strength in the region.
The Nigerian Army also released images showing one of the neutralised terrorists, underscoring the scale of losses suffered by the insurgents.
