By Kingsley Ohens
Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East Operation Hadin Kai, have successfully repelled a coordinated terrorists attack on Kukareta community in Damaturu Local Government Area of Yobe State, killing 24 insurgents and recovering a significant cache of arms and ammunition.
The operation, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, April 23, 2026, was confirmed in a statement issued by the Theatre Command’s Media Information Officer, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.
According to the statement, the attack began shortly after midnight and lasted until about 3:00 a.m., during which the troops engaged the assailants in a sustained firefight that forced them into a disorganised retreat.
“The troops of Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, under Sector 2, successfully repelled a determined terrorist attack on Kukareta location. The swift and coordinated response of vigilant troops resulted in the containment of the assault and the eventual withdrawal of the attackers in disarray,” the statement read.
Following the engagement, troops conducted exploitation operations on the battlefield, leading to the recovery of 18 AK-47 rifles, three General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), two PKT anti-aircraft machine guns, three RPG tubes, two mortar tubes, four hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines, and substantial quantities of 7.62mm ammunition used in PKT systems.
The military further confirmed that 24 terrorists were neutralised in the encounter, while clearance operations are ongoing to recover additional bodies and equipment along withdrawal routes reportedly marked by blood trails and abandoned medical supplies.
Two soldiers sustained injuries during the exchange of fire but have since been stabilised and are receiving medical attention. Additionally, an armoured tank deployed for reinforcement suffered mechanical damage after all its tyres were destroyed during the operation.
Operation Hadin Kai noted that follow-up operations remain underway to consolidate gains and prevent further threats within the general area.
