Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, repelled an attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Gajiram, Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State, in the early hours of Monday.
According to a statement by the Acting Military Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Captain Mohammed Goni, a large number of terrorists launched the assault at about 12:20 a.m., attempting to overrun the troops’ position. The soldiers responded with sustained fire, forcing the attackers to withdraw after sustaining heavy casualties.
Goni said several terrorists were neutralised during the engagement, while troops recovered weapons, ammunition and communication equipment from the scene. A post-engagement review of surveillance footage further confirmed that several casualties were evacuated by the retreating terrorists.
The military disclosed that a number of its personnel sustained injuries after part of the base’s defences was briefly breached, resulting in damage to some combat enablers and vehicles from rocket-propelled grenade fire. The wounded were airlifted for treatment and are said to be in stable condition.
Troops have since remained deployed in and around the FOB to monitor the area and guard against further attacks. The Theatre Command urged residents of Gajiram and neighbouring communities to remain calm and go about their normal activities, while encouraging the public to report suspicious movements to the nearest security agency or via a dedicated hotline, 07084988859.
The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on ISWAP until lasting peace is restored in the North East.
