By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
TROOPS of the Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have repelled coordinated terrorist attacks in Pulka and Mandaragirau, Borno State, killing several insurgents, including a senior commander identified as Abou Aisha, and recovering weapons and other equipment.
According to a press statement issued on 15 February 2026 by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer at Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), the attacks occurred late on 14 February when suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters launched simultaneous offensives on military positions in the two locations.
The statement said a large group of terrorists advanced from the Sambisa Forest axis and attacked troops of Sector 1 in Pulka.
The insurgents reportedly attempted to overrun defensive positions but were met with what the military described as disciplined firepower and tactical resistance.
Although a section of the perimeter was briefly breached, leading to the destruction of some combat enablers and accommodation facilities, swift reinforcement from 26 Brigade enabled troops to regain full control.
The attackers were forced to retreat towards the Sambisa axis after sustaining what the military termed “severe casualties”.
Credible intelligence cited in the statement indicated that a senior terrorist commander, Abou Aisha, died from a critical gunshot wound to the neck during the encounter.
Several weapons and items of equipment were also reportedly recovered. The military confirmed that there were no casualties among troops in the Pulka attack.
In a related incident, troops of Sector 2 at Mandaragirau came under a coordinated multi-pronged assault by ISWAP fighters mounted on gun trucks and motorcycles.
The military said troops had tactically positioned combat teams in anticipation of such an attack and were able to decisively engage the insurgents.
Following a fierce exchange of gunfire, the attack was successfully repelled without any breach of the defensive position.
However, the statement acknowledged that some soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force lost their lives in the line of duty, while a few others sustained injuries.
The wounded personnel were evacuated by the Air Component of OPHK and Nigerian Army Aviation platforms for medical treatment.
Subsequent exploitation operations along the Kimba axis reportedly revealed blood trails, shallow graves and abandoned materials, while eyewitness accounts indicated that several injured terrorists were evacuated towards Kimba, suggesting significant enemy losses.
The Military High Command commended the troops for their bravery and professionalism, stating that the failed attacks reflected what it described as the growing desperation of terrorist elements under sustained operational pressure.
Operation HADIN KAI reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling terrorist networks, protecting communities and restoring lasting peace and economic stability across the North-East region.
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