Armed Forces of Nigeria, AFN has stated that its men resisted and pushed back a group of Islamic State of West Africa Province, Iswap fighters at Mallam Fatori area in the Abadam local government area of Borno State early morning on Wednesday, after the Iswap fighters launched a simultaneous five multiple and separate offensive attacks against the Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East Operation Hadin Kai, this, the Nigeria army supported its press release with a video of dead bodies of the suspected terrorists, some of whom, according to the military authority, were well known Iswap commanders who led other terrorists  to carry out the attacks.

Lieutenant Sani Uba, the Media Information Officer, Joint Task Force, North East Operation Hadin Kai in a press release issued a few minutes ago, noted that Niger Republic Air Force supported in the killing of the terrorists and other defensive-offensive military actions that finally forced other surviving terrorists to withdraw and flee in disarray.

Accordingly, the press release reads verbatim thus; “Troops of the Joint Task Force, North East Operation HaDIN KaI (OPHK) in the early hours of Wednesday successfully repelled a coordinated and simultaneous five-pronged terrorist attack on own positions at Mallam Fatori in Sector 3. The terrorists, who advanced in large numbers on foot and deployed armed drones in a desperate bid to breach the defences of locations of troops, particularly along the frontage of Bravo Company from the Duguri general area, were met with overwhelming resistance.

Having maintained full situational awareness of the battlespace, troops had anticipated the attack and deliberately prepared an offensive-defensive battle designed to decisively defeat and annihilate the assault elements. Through disciplined fire control, coordinated manoeuvre and superior tactical execution, the attackers were engaged, disrupted and routed in disarray, with no fewer than 80 terrorists neutralised during the engagement.

Additionally, the firefight was further reinforced by precision of close air support from the Air Component of Operation HaDIN KaI, complemented by rapid strike passes from allied Nigerien air assets, which compounded the pressure on the fleeing insurgents.

Exploitation of the engagement area led to the recovery of a substantial cache of weapons, ammunition and combat enablers, including 52 AK-47 rifles, 8 PKT machine guns, 7 RPG tubes, 5 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), over 3,000 rounds of assorted 7.62mm ammunition, 21 RPG bombs, 9 locally fabricated IEDs, multiple magazines, communication radios and components of armed drones deployed by the terrorists.

Despite the scale and intensity of the assault, own troops recorded minimal casualties, with four soldiers wounded in action and promptly stabilised, while follow-on Battle Damage Assessment of air interdictions remains ongoing.

Significantly, the operation resulted in the neutralisation of three high-profile terrorist commanders, namely Mallam Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram and Abou Ayyuba, who were key figures in coordinating and leading the failed assault.

Furthermore, several other identified fighters were eliminated during the engagement, including Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, Abu Ali, Abba Gana Kawiyya and Ahmodu Hirasama. The elimination of these commanders and fighters represents a severe disruption to the terrorist command structure and operational capability within the axis.

This decisive victory represents a major operational setback for the terrorist network and further underscores the growing combat effectiveness, resilience and tactical superiority of Operation HaDIN KaI forces across the Theatre.

The failed attack clearly contradicts recent misleading propaganda and false narratives suggesting that troops are overwhelmed or experiencing setbacks. On the contrary, troops remain firmly in control of all locations, maintaining dominance through sustained offensive operations, effective joint force integration and high morale.

Operation HaDIN KaI reassures the general public that the security situation in Mallam Fatori and its environs remains firmly under control, while urging citizens to remain vigilant and disregard unverified reports intended to undermine ongoing military operations. The Military High Command commended the troops for their gallantry and resilience, urging them to sustain the operational tempo”.

In an earlier press release, the Nigeria military initially said 60 Iswap terrorists were killed but in the newest press release issued a few minutes ago, the military corrected the figure to be 80 casualties suffered by the terrorists. The earlier press release reads in full below:

“The Nigerian Army has once again demonstrated its unwavering resolve to defeat terrorism, successfully repelling a coordinated night attack by insurgents in Mallam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area ofBorno State.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 18 March 2026 at about 12:50am, saw terrorists suspected to be members of Boko Haram/IsWAP advancing from the Duguri general area on foot, supported by multiple armed drones, in a bid to breach the 68 Battalion Main Defensive Area. However, their movement was swiftly detected by vigilant troops who responded with overwhelming firepower.

In a well-coordinated operation, troops in synergy with supporting air components engaged the attackers decisively, neutralizing over 60 terrorist fighters, including some notorious commanders. The intense firefight forced the remaining insurgents into a disorganized retreat towards the Arege general area.

Troops have since commenced exploitation operations to pursue and eliminate the fleeing terrorists, while Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms are being deployed to dominate the adversary’s withdrawal routes and prevent regrouping.

The Nigerian Army remains resolute and committed to sustaining offensive operations against terrorist elements, while reassuring law-abiding citizens of its dedication to safeguarding lives and property across the country”.