Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have dealt a significant blow to insurgent networks operating in the Lake Chad Basin, neutralizing more than 30 terrorists and destroying key logistics assets during a coordinated clearance operation in the waterways of Borno State.
The operation, carried out in the early hours of Tuesday, April 21, 2026, targeted suspected camps used by fighters linked to Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province. Military sources said the mission was based on intelligence indicating planned cross-border movements of supplies and personnel.
According to officials, troops supported by amphibious units launched a simultaneous assault on multiple insurgent enclaves hidden within the marshy terrain of the Lake Chad waterways. In the ensuing firefight, over 30 militants were killed, while several others reportedly escaped with injuries into surrounding swamps.
The military also destroyed at least five large transport boats and several smaller vessels equipped with outboard engines. The boats were believed to be critical to the insurgents’ operations, serving as channels for transporting weapons, food supplies, and abducted victims across the region.
Recovered items from the operation include assault rifles, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and communication equipment, further underscoring the scale of the disrupted network.
Security analysts say the raid forms part of an intensified “dry season” offensive aimed at dismantling insurgent strongholds before seasonal rains limit access to difficult terrains. By targeting waterways, troops are seeking to cut off supply routes linking remote camps to wider networks across the Sahel.
A senior military official said the operation sends a strong signal that insurgents will find no refuge. “We are sustaining pressure on all fronts to deny these groups the ability to regroup or threaten civilian communities,” the source noted.
Residents in parts of northern Borno, including fishing communities around the Lake Chad axis, have expressed cautious optimism following the operation. Years of insurgent activity have disrupted livelihoods, with reports of illegal levies and attacks on traders and fishermen.
Authorities, however, have urged continued vigilance, warning that fleeing fighters could attempt to blend into civilian populations or launch sporadic attacks. Clearance operations are ongoing in affected areas as troops work to secure the waterways and surrounding communities.