In brief
Nigerian forces under Operation Hadin Kai said they killed at least 48 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province fighters during attacks on positions in Borno and Yobe states, and seized 52 firearms. One soldier was slain and two others wounded, while the operation continues to target Boko Haram and ISWAP.
On Friday, Nigerian troops announced that they had killed at least 48 suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during two separate attacks on military positions in the northeastern states of Borno and Yobe, according to a statement from the Joint Task Force for Operation Hadin Kai.
The assault was mounted against the army base in Bitta, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, where a coordinated response involving air assets was deployed to thwart an attempted attack that began late on Thursday. A counter‑offensive was also launched in Yobe State after the attackers attempted to storm the base at Buni Yadi from Thursday night into early Friday.
Operation Hadin Kai’s spokesman Mohammed Goni said the troops engaged a large concentration of ISWAP fighters in Buni Yadi, forcing the attackers to retreat. He reported one Nigerian soldier killed and two wounded during the clash in Yobe, while no casualties were recorded in Bittaz.
Armaments seized by the army included 52 firearms, according to Goni’s briefing. The joint task force reiterated its intention to sustain pressure on terrorist groups to degrade their operational capabilities and curtail recruitment, propaganda and coordinated attacks.
Additional coverage from the national newspaper Punch corroborated the figures, noting that “Nigerian Army troops have killed 48 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists while repelling coordinated attacks in Bitta, Borno State, and Buni Yadi, Yobe State.” The Punch piece mirrored the statement that the attacks were repelled and that 48 fighters were killed, without detailing the extent of military losses.
An independent local radio outlet on Facebook also reported that the Joint Task Force, North East, under Operation Hadin Kai, “have killed 48 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists.” The post confirmed the seizure of arms but did not elaborate on the exact number of firearms taken.
WesternPost, another local source, briefly noted that troops “have killed 48 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters” in Borno and Yobe operations, adding that the joint task force would continue to engage the groups in the region.
ISWAP has historically collaborated with Boko Haram in efforts to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria and has been known to extend its reach into neighboring countries within the Lake Chad Basin. The army’s statement warned against future attacks by the insurgent groups and pledged ongoing operations to weaken them.
While the figures for killed insurgents and seized firearms are consistently cited across the sources, the exact breakdown of whether all 48 casualties were ISWAP or included Boko Haram members remains unclarified. The specific number of military casualties—or the absence of further detail on other wounded soldiers—also is not universally disclosed. Moreover, no independent verification of the 52 firearms seized has been independently corroborated. As the situation on the ground remains fluid, further details regarding subsequent operations and the broader impact on regional security will be awaited from the Nigerian military.
