In brief
In a coordinated operation, the Nigerian joint task force for Operation Hadin Kai reported the killing of 48 suspected ISWAP fighters after thwarting offensive raids on military positions in Bittah, Borno State and Buni Yadi, Yobe State. 52 firearms were seized, and one soldier was killed and two wounded. The assault underscores the ongoing struggle against ISWAP’s collaboration with Boko Haram.
In Borno and Yobe states on the 31st of October 2026, the Nigerian military’s joint task force for Operation Hadin Kai announced that it had killed at least 48 suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) after repelling two separate attacks on military positions in Bitta, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and Buni Yadi in Yobe State.
The attacks, which began late on Thursday and continued into early Friday, were described by military spokesman Mohammed Goni as uncoordinated assaults that were stopped by a swift and decisive response from troops and supporting air assets. Goni said the troops on the front line in Bitta successfully thwarted the assault, while in Buni Yadi, a counter‑offensive was launched against a large concentration of ISWAP fighters who had been attacking from the late night hours into the morning.
During the counter‑offensive in Buni Yadi, military personnel sustained casualties: one soldier was killed and two others wounded. The Nigerian army also seized 52 firearms from the ISWAP fighters, according to Goni’s statement.
Operation Hadin Kai, the broader effort to engage insurgent groups in northeastern Nigeria, was credited with achieving the first major set of tactical objectives in the region during the latest operation. The joint task force’s success in repelling the attacks followed an earlier declaration that its continued operations would degrade the operational capacities of terrorist groups and snipe their ability to recruit new members, spread propaganda and coordinate attacks.
ISWAP’s presence in the northeastern region of the country is compounded by collaboration with the Boko Haram insurgent group. Both groups share a goal of creating an Islamist state in the region and have extended attacks to other countries in the Lake Chad Basin. Their collective activities have made Borno and Yobe states repeatedly volatile, with local communities almost inevitably experiencing the brunt of the violence.
Military leadership pointed out that the seizure of 52 firearms is a significant blow to the structure of ISWAP forces and may reduce their firepower for future operations. The removal of those weapons also serves a secondary deterrence function by reducing the group’s capacity to arm new recruits.
This operation underscores the interplay between military strategy and public safety in the affected regions. Local residents of Bitta and Buni Yadi, who had already been under threat of ISWAP attacks for months, were safe that night when the soldiers cleared the positions of militant forces. The immediate presence of armed troops throughout these areas has encouraged local cooperation, easing the reporting of suspicious activity to authorities.
In addition to the direct arrests and killings, the operation illustrates the role of air support in modern counter‑insurgency tactics. Military assets were deployed to assist the ground troops, which helped to locate ISWAP fighters and to delay the progression of the attackers prior to ground insertion. The official statement about the use of those assets implies an evolving approach toward integrated army, drone, and aircraft coordination while suppressing the insurgents.
The decision to involve air support has also raised questions about the broader security environment and responsibilities of national defense in the region. Government officials maintain that this strategy reflects a calculated risk based on the community’s safety needs and the requirement to eradicate the terrorist organization’s capacity to threaten neighboring communities.
The day of the operation became a test of Nigerian military capability. The presence of trained soldiers with command intelligence, the timely use of air support, and the ability to coordinate boots on the ground describe a model of proactive containment for a Nigeria that has seen rebel factions thrive in the state's interior. That morning, the joint task force continued its orders to sustain operations against extremist groups, proving to the local population that they are in fact prepared to protect them against a group that has sought to destabilize the region for years.
In concluding, military officials reiterated, “The joint task force for Operation Hadin Kai remains steadfast in its mission. Our operations degrade terrorism, weaken recruitment, limit propaganda, and make the plans of ISWAP and its partners impossible.”
