.Nigeria, US deepen ties to combat terrorism
Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Nigerian military said troops of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), eliminated 16 terrorists, recovered an assortment of arms and ammunition, and thwarted hostile incursions by extremist fighters during coordinated engagements comprising a lethal ground ambush, a precision air strike and successful defensive counter-operations across Sector 4 Area of Operations in Adamawa State.
Also, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening military relations with the United States, particularly in counter-terrorism operations.
On the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, the military also disclosed that three brave soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice during the fierce battle, while the wounded personnel were swiftly evacuated and are currently in stable condition receiving medical treatment.
According to a statement by the Acting Military Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, the troops eliminated the fighters in a series of decisive operational encounters conducted between 30 September and 1 October 2026.
He said the operational momentum commenced in the Boima general area of Gombi Local Government Area, where troops conducted a well-coordinated ambush against a terrorist enclave, stressing that the swift tactical action resulted in the neutralisation of 16 terrorists.
A subsequent exploitation of the engagement site, Captain Goni said led to the recovery of three AK-47 rifles, two pump-action rifles, one Dane gun, six AK-47 magazines and a belt of pump-action cartridges, thereby severely degrading the adversary’s combat capability and denying them freedom of action within the sector.
“Reinforcing the ground operations, the Air Component of OPHK conducted a precision strike in the early hours of 1 October 2026. At approximately 4:40a.m., an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform detected a concentration of about 16 terrorists assembling alongside 15 motorcycles beneath a tree canopy in Sector 4. Following positive identification and target acquisition, a precision air interdiction was conducted at 5:30a.m., recording a direct hit. Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment confirmed the successful destruction of the target, while a few surviving elements scattered in disarray.
“Concurrently, troops demonstrated resolute defensive capability when insurgents launched coordinated attacks on troop locations at 226 Battalion in Garkida and 232 Battalion in Garaha. Responding with overwhelming firepower, the troops repelled the assailants, forcing them to abort the mission and withdraw precipitously. Regrettably, three brave soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice during the fierce battle, while wounded personnel were swiftly evacuated and are currently in stable condition receiving medical treatment. Follow-up exploitation and mop-up operations across the general area are ongoing.
“These successes come amid the ongoing reorganisation of Headquarters Theatre Command, aimed at strengthening joint integration, improving operational synergy and ensuring the inclusion of relevant stakeholders in the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency campaign. Building on the strong foundation laid by the previous leadership, the renewed approach is already yielding operational dividends through enhanced coordination of land and air components, as well as other supporting elements,” the statement said.
He said the Theatre Command remains committed to sustaining its aggressive posture and leveraging intelligence, technology and joint capabilities to deny terrorists freedom of action across the North-east.
As Nigerians commemorate the nation’s Independence Anniversary, the troops of OPHK remain resolute in defending the nation’s territorial integrity and creating the conditions for lasting peace, security and socio-economic development across the region.
Headquarters Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, appreciated the continued support and cooperation of the public and urged citizens to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information to security agencies as operations continue across the Theatre.
Meanwhile,the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening military relations with the United States in Abuja while receiving Major General Matthew Brown, Commander of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), who was on an official working visit to the Ministry of Defence.
The Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, said in a statement that the visit was aimed at reviewing ongoing joint security initiatives and formulating a more results-oriented strategic framework for future defence collaboration.
Expressing appreciation to the U.S. Government for its sustained partnership, General Musa noted that collaborative security operations in the North-east, particularly around the Lake Chad Basin, had significantly boosted troop morale.
To build on these gains, the minister highlighted key priority areas for enhanced cooperation, including specialised joint training for Special Forces; intelligence sharing and capacity building; enhanced border surveillance and security; counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) support; and the modernisation of defence infrastructure to strengthen local capacity.
In his remarks, Major General Brown extended Independence Day felicitations to Nigeria and expressed gratitude for the decades-long military-to-military relationship, which continues to advance common security objectives.
He specifically highlighted successful counter-terrorism engagements against ISIS-affiliated groups in Africa and commended the troops involved.
Reaffirming the nature of U.S. engagements in the region following the departure of the soldiers who formed part of the Combined Special Task Force that operated in the Bauchi area, Brown emphasised that U.S. military activities in Nigeria are temporary and focused on institutional support and collaboration.
Describing the bilateral relationship as strategic and grounded in mutual trust, Brown stated that the primary goal of his visit was to gain a direct understanding of Nigeria’s defence priorities in order to align broader U.S. support and strengthen ongoing bilateral intelligence-sharing efforts.