Troops repel terrorist attack on Maiduguri–Damboa road, restore traffic flow

Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have successfully repelled a coordinated terrorist attack along the Maiduguri–Damboa Main Supply Route (MSR) in Borno State.

A credible military source disclosed that the attack occurred at about 3:10 p.m. on Monday, December 22, when troops of 25 Brigade, conducting MSR dominance patrol and escorting civilians along the Maiduguri–Damboa axis in Damboa Local Government Area, came under heavy assault by ISWAP/JAS terrorists.

According to the source, the terrorists employed a combination of armed drones, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and a coordinated ambush in an attempt to disrupt military operations and civilian movement along the critical supply route.

“Reinforcements from the Brigade Headquarters were immediately deployed to the location, enabling the troops to effectively counter the attack and stabilise the area,” the source said.

He added that the troops swiftly regained control, dominated the area, and denied the terrorists freedom of action, ensuring the safety of civilians and restoring normal movement along the route.

The source further disclosed that offensive operations remain ongoing across other sectors of Operation HADIN KAI, under Operation Desert Sanity IV, as troops continue to apply sustained pressure on terrorist elements.

North-Central Operations

Beyond the North East, the military recorded additional successes in the North Central region under Operation Enduring Peace and Operation FANSAN YAMMA.

In Kaduna State, troops of Sector 5, working in collaboration with local vigilantes, apprehended two suspected kidnappers during an intelligence-led operation at Pari and Rahama villages in Kauru Local Government Area.

In Plateau State, troops of Sector 2, Operation Enduring Peace, responded to a kidnapping incident in Panyam town, Mangu Local Government Area, where one person was abducted and another killed by suspected criminals. Efforts to rescue the abducted victim, the source said, are ongoing.

However, a major breakthrough was recorded in Bokkos Local Government Area, where swift military action forced kidnappers to abandon a Reverend and his three children, abducted from a church premises at Makundang village.

“The victims were successfully rescued, debriefed, and reunited with their family, while troops continue the pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers in surrounding mountainous areas,” the source said.

Reaffirming the military’s resolve, the source stressed that security forces remain committed to sustaining pressure on terrorists and criminal networks across all theatres of operation, to ensure the protection of lives and property nationwide.

(NAN)