Military troops successfully repelled coordinated attacks on military positions in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko, located in Sectors 1 and 2 of Joint Operations Area 1, killing over 50 terrorists.
Terrorists launched simultaneous attacks on troops’ positions in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko, located in Sectors 1 and 2 of the Joint Operations Area 1, between midnight and 4am on Thursday.
According to Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East (OPHK), the troops fought bravely and professionally, repelling the attacks and inflicting damage.
The statement reads, “Troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) with renewed vigor successfully defeated terrorist attacks on multiple locations across the Joint Operations Area in the early hours of today, 23 October 2025.
“Between midnight and 0400 hours, the terrorists launched coordinated assaults on troops’ positions in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko, situated in Sector 1 (Borno State) and Sector 2 (Yobe State), respectively.
“In all instances, troops stood firm, fought gallantly, and professionally repelled the attacks, dealing the terrorists a heavy, decisive, and bloody blow.”
Uba went on to say that synchronized ground and air operations, backed up by precision strikes by the OPHK’s Air Component, resulted in the neutralization of over 50 terrorists across all sites.
“The coordinated offensive response was supported by air platforms of the Air Component Command of OPHK.
“The precision strikes, coupled with enhanced battlefield awareness provided by Theatre Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, gave troops additional leverage and impetus to respond with overwhelming and lethal force.
“The combined ground and air efforts resulted in the neutralization of over 50 terrorists across all the locations,” he said.
According to him, troops also seized 38 AK-47 rifles, seven PKT machine guns, five RPG tubes, two GPMGs, hand grenades, and thousands of varied rounds of ammo following the fighting.
“The precision strikes, coupled with enhanced battlefield awareness provided by the theater’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, gave troops additional leverage and impetus to respond with overwhelming and lethal force,” Uba added.
He revealed that ground soldiers were pursuing over 70 injured terrorists, with the Air Component working closely together to achieve complete clearance of the fleeing remnants.
According to intelligence assessments, the assailants who stormed Dikwa and Gajibo operated from the Cameroon axis, while those who attacked Katarko came from the Timbuktu Triangle, a prominent terrorist hotspot.
Uba stated that some valiant warriors were injured but in stable condition, while some cars and houses in Mafa and Dikwa were destroyed by fire as a result of terrorist RPG and drone assaults.
“Some of the gallant troops were wounded in action but are in stable condition. Some vehicles and buildings were also gutted by fire from the terrorists’ armed drones and RPG fire during the battle, especially in Mafa and Dikwa, where a part of the defenses was momentarily breached,” he stated.
He mentioned that despite the heavy onslaught, the troops maintained control of all their positions and repelled the coordinated strikes with renewed strength and professionalism.
“The Military High Command has commended the gallantry, doggedness, and renewed charge of the troops. Their steadfast performance once again reaffirms the military’s unwavering resolve and capacity to defend the nation’s territorial integrity,” he concluded.
