Nigerian troops have neutralised suspected terrorists, dismantled criminal camps, rescued abducted construction workers and recovered weapons and explosives in separate operations in Katsina, Kebbi, Anambra and Borno states.
The operations, carried out by troops of Operations FANSAN YAMMA, UDO KA and HADIN KAI, occurred between August 14 and 15, 2026, according to separate statements issued by the military.
In Katsina State, troops of the Joint Task Force North-West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, on August 14 repelled suspected terrorists operating in Kankia Local Government Area, killing two of the attackers and forcing others to retreat.
The troops of Sector 2 engaged the terrorists in a fierce firefight following reports of their activities in the area.
The military said two terrorists were neutralised during the encounter, while others fled following the superior response of the troops.
One AK-47 rifle and a magazine were recovered from the terrorists.
In southern Kebbi State, troops operating under Operation CLEAN SWEEP IV also rescued construction workers who were abducted at Tsatsunbe village.
The troops were mobilised after receiving a distress call over the abduction and subsequently engaged the terrorists.
According to the military, the intervention forced the attackers to abandon their captives and flee into the surrounding area.
All the abducted construction workers were rescued and returned safely to their camp.
Three motorcycles belonging to the fleeing terrorists were recovered at the scene.
One of the construction workers sustained injuries during the incident and was evacuated to a military medical facility, where he was receiving treatment as of Saturday.
The military said the operation demonstrated the commitment of Operation FANSAN YAMMA to protecting communities and safeguarding critical economic activities within its area of responsibility.
In another operation in Katsina, troops supported personnel of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Malumfashi Area Command, in a joint raid on a suspected drug peddler’s hideout in Gozaki village, Kafur Local Government Area.
The operation led to the recovery of significant quantities of suspected illicit drugs.
The recovered substances have been handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and necessary legal action.
The military said the operations reflected its continued collaboration with other security and law-enforcement agencies to tackle terrorism, organised crime and other threats to public safety.
Meanwhile, troops of the newly established 15 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, operating under Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA, dismantled three suspected Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network camps in Anambra State.
The intelligence-led operation was conducted in the early hours of Saturday, August 15, following credible intelligence on the activities of suspected IPOB/ESN elements operating from camps at Osuakwa, along the boundary between Ihiala and Ogbaru Local Government Areas.
Troops of 15 Brigade, working alongside personnel of the Department of State Services and members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, launched a dawn raid on the identified locations.
The joint force reportedly came under fire from the suspected terrorists but responded with superior firepower.
Three suspected IPOB/ESN members were neutralised during the encounter, while the three camps were overrun and subsequently destroyed to prevent them from being reused as operational bases.
The troops recovered one FN rifle with 10 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, one pump-action shotgun with five cartridges and 15 sticks of dynamite.
Other items recovered included four motorcycles, one gas cylinder, three hybrid batteries, two car batteries and three handheld radio chargers.
‘Further exploitation of the area led to the arrest of a suspected IPOB/ESN member identified by the military as Chijioke, as well as a male and female suspected accomplices’, the military said.
The three suspects were reportedly found in the company of six children.
The Commander of 15 Brigade commended the troops and their partners for what he described as courage, discipline and effective inter-agency cooperation.
He said the operation represented a major setback for criminal elements seeking to undermine security in Anambra and the wider South-East.
The Brigade said it would sustain intelligence-led operations in collaboration with sister security agencies and local stakeholders to locate and dismantle criminal networks across the region.
In Borno State, troops of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation HADIN KAI, also repelled an attempted attack by Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists on Forward Operating Base Mandarag??au in Biu Local Government Area.
The attack occurred at about 2am on August 15 when the insurgents launched a coordinated assault on the military location from two fronts.
The military said troops detected the advancing terrorists through early warning and surveillance systems and immediately deployed a combat team to intercept one of the attacking groups.
A fierce exchange of fire followed, during which the troops defeated the attackers on that axis.
A second group reportedly attempted to bypass the ambush team and infiltrate the military base but was also met with superior firepower.
The coordinated response forced the insurgents to withdraw from the area in disarray.
The troops subsequently launched a hot pursuit and exploited the contact area and the routes used by the fleeing terrorists.
The troops also recovered AK-47 rifles with loaded magazines, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with bombs and chargers, a camcorder video camera and other items described by the military as combat enablers.
Surveillance footage obtained after the engagement reportedly showed the terrorists dragging the bodies of some of their slain colleagues towards the Timbuktu Triangle.
The military said no Nigerian soldier was killed or injured in the attack.
The Theatre Command of Operation HADIN KAI commended the troops of 162 Amphibious Battalion for their readiness, courage and tactical response.
The command said the successful repulsion of the multi-pronged assault demonstrated the troops’ operational preparedness and determination to deny insurgents freedom of action in the North-East.
The latest operations come amid intensified military efforts to disrupt terrorist and criminal networks across multiple theatres of operation.
The military said the various operations were aimed at protecting vulnerable communities, securing economic activities, dismantling criminal infrastructure and creating an environment in which citizens can conduct their legitimate activities without fear.
Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Operation UDO KA and Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining offensive operations against terrorists and other criminal elements within their respective areas of responsibility.