No fewer than 50 suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists have been killed following precision air strikes by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai on their withdrawal routes in Borno State.

Security sources disclosed that the strikes were carried out after insurgents launched a failed evening assault on Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area. The attack reportedly began at about 7:30 p.m. on March 3, when the terrorists attempted to overrun Nigerian Army artillery positions in the area.

According to the sources, the insurgents carried out a coordinated surprise attack, forcing troops to respond decisively before executing a tactical withdrawal under heavy fire to safeguard personnel and military equipment while reinforcements were mobilised.

The terrorists were said to have adopted a hit-and-run tactic, abandoning the area before additional troops fully secured the positions. However, surveillance assets continued to track their movement along identified withdrawal corridors.

Real-time intelligence from ground forces enabled the rapid deployment of surveillance and strike aircraft, which intercepted the fleeing fighters as they moved in clusters along the Ngoshe–Pulka axis. Precision bombardments were subsequently carried out on confirmed target locations and movement trails.

Battle Damage Assessment from the operation indicated that more than 50 terrorists were neutralised in two separate strike runs, significantly degrading their fighting strength and mobility in the area.

The air strikes, according to military sources, also disrupted insurgent logistics networks and escape routes within the Ngoshe–Pulka corridor, preventing the fighters from retreating into nearby forest enclaves.

Meanwhile, clearance and area domination operations by ground troops are ongoing to prevent any regrouping by remnants of the terrorist groups. The Ngoshe–Gwoza axis is considered a historically volatile corridor due to the activities of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province elements exploiting difficult terrain and cross-border forest routes.

Military authorities reaffirmed that Operation Hadin Kai remains committed to sustaining offensive pressure against insurgents, warning that any attempt to attack security positions would be met with overwhelming and coordinated firepower.

Residents of Gwoza and surrounding communities were also assured of the military’s continued commitment to protecting lives, supporting resettlement efforts and consolidating gains recorded in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign across Borno State.