Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have recorded a major operational success with the neutralisation of a top Boko Haram/ISWAP leader, Abu Khalid, alongside 10 other terrorists during a night operation in Borno State.
According to the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Abu Khalid was identified as the Second-in-Command of Boko Haram in the Sambisa Forest and a key figure coordinating operations and logistics within the terrorist group’s hierarchy.
The operation came barely 24 hours after troops eliminated another notorious Boko Haram/ISWAP commander, Julaibib, who had been operating within the Gujba axis of the Timbuktu Triangle. In the latest engagement, troops of Sector 1, working in conjunction with members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) under Operation DESERT SANITY, made contact with terrorists at the Komala general area of Konduga Local Government Area at about 11:00 p.m.
Following the successful night offensive, troops recovered five AK-47 rifles, magazines, several bicycles, assorted logistics and food items, as well as a large cache of medical consumables. No casualties were recorded among the troops during the operation.
Lt. Col. Uba stated that the morale of the troops remains high as clearance operations continue across the Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountains, Timbuktu Triangle and other known Boko Haram and ISWAP hideouts in the North East region.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Joint Task Force (North East) to sustaining the tempo of operations until all terrorist elements are neutralised and lasting peace and economic stability are restored to the region.
The Military High Command also commended the troops for their sacrifices and dedication in the fight against terrorism and other criminal activities in the North East, urging them to sustain the current operational momentum.
