Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have repelled a coordinated terrorist attack on Kukareta in Yobe State, wasting 24 insurgents and recovering a ‘large cache of arms and ammunition in the process’.
According to an official statement issued on Thursday, the troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) under Sector 2 engaged the attackers in the early hours of the day, after they launched what was described as a “determined terrorist attack” on the Kukareta location.
The statement was signed by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer at Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI. 
The statement noted that “the attack, which commenced shortly after midnight and lasted until about 0300 hours, was met with a swift and coordinated response by vigilant troops who executed a deliberate offensive-defensive action, effectively containing the assault and forcing the terrorists into a disorderly withdrawal.”
Military authorities disclosed that the fierce engagement resulted in significant losses for the insurgents, with “24 terrorists neutralised so far,” while troops continue to comb the area for additional casualties and fleeing fighters.
In the aftermath of the confrontation, troops reportedly recovered a substantial stockpile of weapons and ammunition abandoned by the retreating terrorists.
Items recovered include “18 AK-47 rifles, 3 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), 2 PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, 3 RPG tubes, 2 mortar tubes, 4 hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines, and large quantities of belted 7.62mm ammunition for PKT systems.”
The military also confirmed casualties on the side of government forces.
“Troops recorded 2 personnel wounded in action, who have been stabilised,” the statement said, adding that “one reinforcing armoured tank sustained damage with all tyres blown out during the engagement,” the statement said.
Further details indicated that exploitation operations are ongoing across the battlefield, particularly along the withdrawal routes of the insurgents. These areas were described as being “littered with blood trails and medical consumables,” suggesting that more casualties may have been inflicted on the fleeing fighters.
Kukareta, located within the broader conflict-affected areas of Yobe State, has witnessed periodic insurgent incursions, making sustained military vigilance critical to preventing territorial breaches and protecting civilian populations in surrounding communities.
The Army emphasized that the successful defence of Kukareta underscores the operational strength of its forces in the North East theatre.
It stated that “this successful operations highlights the resilience, combat readiness and fire superiority of OPHK troops in denying terrorists freedom of action.”
Reaffirming its commitment to sustaining pressure on insurgent groups, the military assured that “operations will continue with sustained offensive pressure to consolidate gains and decisively defeat all terrorist elements across the Joint Operations Area.”
