Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) successfully repelled a coordinated terrorist attack along the Maiduguri–Damboa Main Supply Route (MSR) in Borno State on Monday, December 22.

A military source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the attack occurred around 3:10 pm as troops of the 25 Brigade conducted MSR dominance patrols and escorted civilians through Damboa Local Government Area.

“ISWAP/JAS terrorists launched an attack using armed drones, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and ambushes to disrupt military operations and civilian movement along the route,” the source said.

Reinforcements from Brigade Headquarters quickly arrived, enabling troops to counter the attack, stabilize the area, and maintain control. The military confirmed that the terrorists were denied freedom of action, and operations across other OPHK sectors continued under Operation Desert Sanity IV.

Operations Beyond Borno

In the North Central region, troops under Operation Enduring Peace and Operation FANSAN YAMMA continued to record successes against kidnappers and criminal gangs in Kaduna and Plateau States.

In Kaduna, Sector 5 troops, working alongside local vigilantes, apprehended two suspected kidnappers in Pari and Rahama villages, Kauru Local Government Area.

In Plateau State, Sector 2 OPEP troops responded to a kidnapping in Panyam, Mangu Local Government Area, where one person was abducted and another killed. Efforts to rescue the abducted victim are ongoing.

A significant breakthrough occurred in Bokkos Local Government Area, where swift military action forced kidnappers to abandon a Reverend and his three children, who had been abducted from a church in Makundang village. The victims were safely rescued, debriefed, and reunited with their family, while troops continue to pursue the fleeing kidnappers in the surrounding mountains.

The military reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining pressure on terrorists and criminal elements nationwide to safeguard lives and property.