Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, working with a tactical team from the Office of the National Security Adviser, have killed more than 21 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and dismantled a major terrorist camp in the Kopre Mountain area of Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State.
The operation, conducted in the early hours of Thursday, August 27, 2026, was launched following credible intelligence on the activities of terrorists operating in the difficult mountain terrain.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the spokesman for Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, who said troops were still conducting search and rescue operations in the area.
According to Goni, the offensive involved the ONSA tactical team and newly inducted troops of 226 Battalion, recently deployed to Sector 4 in Adamawa State on the directive of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu.
The troops reportedly conducted a covert operation before penetrating the terrorists’ enclave and launching a precision assault on the camp.
Goni said the operation was partly aimed at locating and rescuing persons believed to be held by the terrorists, including victims abducted from Mussa community in May and schoolchildren reportedly taken from Lassa in June.
“The operation was part of ongoing efforts to locate and rescue people believed to be held by the terrorists,” the statement said.
The task force spokesman said the troops encountered the terrorists in two separate engagements during the operation, resulting in the deaths of more than 21 fighters.
He added that several other terrorists escaped from the area with gunshot wounds following the assault.
The troops subsequently secured the area and dismantled the terrorist camp, including associated logistics facilities, in an operation the military said had further weakened the group’s ability to operate in the area.
Several items allegedly used by the terrorists for mobility and logistics were also destroyed during the operation.
Among them were motorcycles, bicycles and jerrycans containing Premium Motor Spirit, which the military said were believed to have been used to support the terrorists’ movement and logistics activities.
The troops also recovered several AK-47 rifles, AK-47 magazines and a substantial quantity of 7.62mm Special ammunition from the area.
The recovery of the weapons and ammunition is expected to further assist security agencies in assessing the capabilities and activities of the terrorist group operating around the Kopre Mountain axis.
The operation comes as security forces intensify efforts to dismantle terrorist enclaves and rescue persons abducted from vulnerable communities across Adamawa and other parts of the Northeast.
Mussa community in Adamawa has remained a major focus of rescue efforts following the abduction of 46 schoolchildren during school activities in May 2026.
The children have reportedly spent months in captivity, prompting parents and residents to demand stronger action by security agencies to secure their release.
The reported abduction of schoolchildren from Lassa in June has also added pressure on security forces to intensify operations against terrorist groups operating in mountainous and forested areas of the region.
The military said the latest operation demonstrated the ability of the joint force to combine intelligence with tactical operations in challenging terrain.
Goni said the success also reflected the growing capacity of the troops to project combat power into areas that are difficult to access and disrupt terrorist camps and logistics networks.
The military high command commended members of the ONSA tactical team and Operation Hadin Kai troops involved in the operation for their courage, professionalism, resilience and coordination.
The command said the joint operation demonstrated the determination of the Armed Forces and other security agencies to pursue terrorist groups wherever they establish hideouts.
It also stressed that the destruction of terrorist logistics remains central to degrading their ability to move fighters, weapons and supplies across remote communities.
The military said its operations would continue to focus on intelligence gathering, precision assaults and sustained pressure on terrorist groups operating across the Northeast.
Operation Hadin Kai further assured residents that search and rescue activities would continue until abducted persons believed to be in the area were located and rescued.
The task force said security agencies would also sustain operations aimed at dismantling terrorist camps, disrupting logistics networks, recovering weapons and restricting the movement of terrorist fighters.
The operation is particularly significant given the difficult terrain around the Kopre Mountain area, which provides natural cover for armed groups and can complicate conventional military operations.
Mountainous and remote areas have continued to present security challenges because of limited road access, difficult terrain and the ability of armed groups to establish concealed camps away from major population centres.
The destruction of the camp is therefore expected to disrupt the activities of terrorists using the area as a base for movement, logistics and possibly the detention of abducted persons.
However, the military’s confirmation that some terrorists escaped with gunshot wounds means security agencies are expected to maintain surveillance and search operations around the surrounding communities and forest corridors.
The task force said the search operation would continue while troops maintain pressure on fleeing terrorists.
The military also urged members of the public to continue providing credible information that could assist security agencies in locating terrorists, their camps and persons held in captivity.
For communities affected by attacks and abductions, the success of the operation could provide renewed hope for the recovery of victims still being held by armed groups.
The authorities are yet to provide details on whether any of the abducted persons were located during the operation.
They are also expected to provide further information as search and rescue activities progress and the identities of the terrorists killed or the weapons recovered are verified.
The latest offensive adds to ongoing military operations across the Northeast aimed at degrading Boko Haram and ISWAP, disrupting their logistics and denying them freedom of movement.
West Trybe reports that the operation comes amid renewed efforts to rescue abducted civilians and dismantle terrorist strongholds in Northeast Nigeria, particularly in areas where difficult terrain has provided hideouts for insurgents. The killing of more than 21 terrorists and destruction of the Kopre Mountain camp could significantly disrupt terrorist operations in the area, although sustained search operations and intelligence gathering will be crucial to prevent fleeing fighters from regrouping.
