Troops of the joint task force, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), on Thursday, January 1st, thwarted a suicide bombing plot in Gwoza local government area of Borno state, neutralizing three suicide bombers.
The operation, carried out along the Guduf-Pulka axis, followed credible intelligence that insurgents were moving toward populated areas along the Guduf-Pulka corridor.
Acting swiftly, troops, in partnership with local vigilante groups, conducted covert surveillance, which allowed them to intercept the attackers before they could carry out their mission.
The suicide bombers were engaged and neutralized in a controlled encounter, preventing what could have resulted in mass civilian casualties.
The troops also engaged armed escorts accompanying the bombers, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing survivors to flee toward the Mandara mountains under sustained gunfire.
Troops recovered suicide vests and various Improvised Explosive Device (IED) components, which were immediately secured and rendered safe by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams.
Further search of the area yielded four AK-47 rifles abandoned by fleeing insurgents, while two motorcycles used for logistics were destroyed.
Preliminary intelligence assessments reveal the bombers were dispatched from hideouts in the Mandara mountains by the Ali Ngulde-led Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction of Boko Haram.
The faction has continued attempting to deploy suicide operatives against soft targets despite ongoing military pressure.
The military has intensified operations across known terrorist enclaves, focusing on detecting and neutralizing suicide networks through a combination of human intelligence and communication intercepts.
They have also strengthened collaboration with community-based volunteer groups and other security agencies across Borno and Yobe states to prevent infiltration.
Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious persons or movements to the nearest security post.
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