Precision Airstrike in Borno: Operation Hadin Kai Destroys ISWAP Logistics Hub, Neutralises Scores of Terrorists
The Air Component of Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has carried out a decisive precision airstrike on a major terrorist enclave and logistics hub near Jilli in Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State, neutralising scores of insurgents and crippling planned attacks in the region.
According to a statement issued on April 12, 2026, by the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the operation was the outcome of sustained intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions over the Bindul–Jilli axis—an area long identified as a critical corridor for the movement and convergence of fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The statement recalled that the axis has witnessed a series of deadly incidents, including a January 2026 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack along the Bindul route that claimed the lives of eight soldiers. More recently, coordinated terrorist assaults in Ngamdu and Benisheik on April 9 were traced to the same logistics network, prompting intensified aerial surveillance and intelligence gathering.
Operational details revealed that on April 11, multiple sightings of suspected ISWAP gun trucks and motorcycles triggered heightened ISR coverage. Surveillance assets tracked the movement of several motorcycles and vehicles converging near Jilli. These observations were corroborated by credible human intelligence, confirming the presence of terrorists, logistics couriers, and collaborators at the location.
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Following a rigorous target validation process, the Air Component executed a series of precision strikes on the identified enclave. Real-time aerial monitoring enabled immediate battle damage assessment, which confirmed the destruction of the logistics hub, along with multiple vehicles and equipment. Surviving insurgents were seen fleeing the area in disarray.
Further intelligence indicated that the neutralised elements were in the final stages of receiving supplies for coordinated attacks on military positions within the Gubio axis, underscoring the strategic impact of the operation in averting imminent threats.
In a related development, troops on April 12 apprehended a suspected terrorist logistics courier identified as “Turja Bulu” in Ngamdu. Preliminary investigations revealed his involvement in the April 9 attack on a military formation in Benisheik, and his role in transporting supplies from Jilli to other terrorist hideouts within the Magumeri-Gubio area.
Military authorities described the airstrike as a significant blow to terrorist logistics networks, reaffirming OPHK’s resolve to sustain pressure on insurgent elements and deny them freedom of movement across the theatre of operations.
The Theatre Command also reiterated the ongoing ban on the use of motorcycles across Borno and Yobe States, noting their persistent use by terrorist groups for mobility, logistics, and attacks. It warned that any violations in restricted areas would be treated as a serious security threat.
Reassuring residents of the North East, the Joint Task Force pledged to intensify operations until all террорист enclaves are dismantled and lasting peace is restored to the region.