By Damilola Samuel
The Nigerian military says an air strike by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI has killed more than 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander, at a terrorist enclave in Borno State.
The strike, carried out on October 10, 2026, targeted a building occupied by terrorists at Badu Village, south of Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area.
According to the military, the operation also destroyed two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles used by the group for movement, logistics and offensive operations.
The development was disclosed on Monday by the Acting Media Information Officer at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, in a statement.
Goni said the operation followed intelligence reports indicating that ISWAP fighters were assembling to launch coordinated attacks on troops operating within Sector 3.
He explained that the Air Component conducted aerial surveillance to track the fighters’ movements around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities before launching a targeted strike on the occupied building.
“Preliminary Human Intelligence, Battle Damage Assessment indicates that over 40 terrorists, including a prominent ISWAP Qaid (commander), were neutralized in the strike,” the statement said.
The military added that some of the fighters reportedly escaped with varying degrees of injuries, while further assessments were ongoing to establish the full extent of the damage.
According to Goni, intelligence gathered after the operation indicated that the targeted fighters belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, a specialised mobile unit involved in patrols, coordinating attacks and sustaining the group’s activities in the area.
He said the destruction of the enclave and its operational assets represented a setback for the group’s ability to conduct attacks and maintain its presence in the Lake Chad region.
The military described the strike as part of its broader intelligence-led air and ground operations aimed at disrupting terrorist networks, protecting communities and preventing attacks on military positions.
“The Joint Task Force North East remains resolute in sustaining relentless, coordinated air and ground operations to eliminate terrorist threats, protect vulnerable communities and consolidate ongoing efforts towards restoring lasting peace and stability in the region,” Goni said.
