53 Travelers freed as troops crush terrorist ambush on Borno highway

Troops of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation HADIN KAI, have rescued 53 travelers and recovered eight vehicles after dismantling a terrorist roadblock along the Buratai–Kamuya road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.

The military said the operation, carried out on Wednesday, followed intelligence gathered through surveillance systems that detected suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (JAS) mounting an illegal checkpoint on the highway.

In a statement issued by the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, troops at the Dutse Kura monitoring station identified the insurgents blocking the road and immediately alerted a Quick Reaction Force from the 135 Special Forces Battalion under Sector 2.

The troops advanced to the area and engaged the terrorists in a gun battle after pursuing them toward the Mangari–Dora axis. According to the military, the insurgents retreated into nearby bushes under sustained military fire, abandoning the roadblock and the civilians they had detained.

Following the operation, security forces rescued 53 travelers comprising men, women and children, and recovered eight commercial and private vehicles seized by the insurgents during the attack.

The military said all rescued victims and recovered property were escorted to Buratai town, where the civilians are receiving medical attention, food and other humanitarian assistance before being reunited with their families.

Captain Goni said troops also conducted a thorough search of the area after the encounter but did not make further contact with the fleeing insurgents.

The Theatre Commander commended the troops for their swift response and professionalism during the operation, noting that the integration of electronic surveillance with rapid-response forces has strengthened ongoing counter-insurgency efforts in the North-East.

He reaffirmed the military’s commitment to sustaining operations aimed at denying terrorist groups freedom of movement and ensuring the safety of motorists and communities along major transportation routes in the region.

The military also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing timely information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and improve security across the North-East.