Troops Repel B/Haram Assault In Mallam Fatori, Kill Over 80 Fighters
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully repelled a coordinated terrorist attack on Mallam Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, neutralising more than 80 insurgents, including several top commanders.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the attack occurred in the early hours of the day when terrorists launched a simultaneous five-pronged assault on troops’ positions in Sector 3, deploying fighters on foot as well as armed drones in an attempt to breach defensive lines.
TheFact Daily notes that the latest attack comes amid intensified military operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements across Nigeria’s North-East, where troops have in recent months sustained coordinated ground and air offensives targeting insurgent enclaves. These operations have led to significant losses on the part of the terrorists, including the killing of key commanders, destruction of logistics bases, and disruption of planned attacks, particularly in the Lake Chad region and border communities such as Mallam Fatori.
Uba said troops, having anticipated the assault, adopted a well-coordinated offensive-defensive strategy, maintaining situational awareness and engaging the attackers with disciplined firepower and tactical manoeuvres that ultimately forced them into disarray.
He added that the operation was bolstered by close air support from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, alongside strike missions conducted by allied Nigerien air assets, which intensified pressure on the fleeing insurgents.
Following the engagement, troops recovered a large cache of weapons and equipment, including dozens of AK-47 rifles, machine guns, RPG tubes, improvised explosive devices, ammunition, communication radios and components of armed drones used by the terrorists.
Despite the scale of the attack, only four soldiers were wounded in action and have since been stabilised, while further battle damage assessments from air interdictions are ongoing.
The military also confirmed the killing of three high-profile terrorist commanders—Mallam Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram and Abou Ayyuba—alongside several other fighters, describing the development as a major blow to the insurgents’ command structure and operational capacity in the area.
The Army said the failed assault contradicts recent claims by terrorist elements suggesting that troops are overwhelmed, insisting that forces remain in firm control of all positions and continue to dominate the theatre through sustained operations and high morale.
Operation HADIN KAI reassured residents that the security situation in Mallam Fatori remains under control and urged the public to disregard unverified reports aimed at undermining ongoing military efforts.
