In another display of gallantry and resilience, troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully repelled desperate attempts by ISWAP terrorists to invade resettled communities in Banki and Bula Yobe of Borno State where communities that now host over 10,000 households returned home after years of displacement.
Nigerian Pilot reports that on 18 September 2025, terrorists launched coordinated attacks on the communities, seeking to destabilize the hard-earned peace and once again subject innocent citizens to fear and displacement.
The ground troops, supported by the Air Component of OPHK, mounted a robust defence that crushed the attackers. The terrorists suffered heavy losses in both manpower and equipment and were forced to flee in disarray.
It was gathered that the troops located at Banki, reinforced by additional formations, stood firm to protect the surrounding towns, shielding women, children and elderly citizens who would have been the prime victims of the terrorists’ cruelty.
In Bula Yobe, soldiers displayed remarkable tactical discipline and courage, foiling repeated enemy attempts to breach the security of the areas including troops position. The troops resilience protected farmers who only recently returned to their lands to rebuild livelihoods. Their heroic actions ensured that not a single community was overrun and that families remained safe under the protection and cover of their military.
During an operational visit to Banki on 19 September 2025, the Acting General Officer Commanding (Ag GOC) 7 Division/Commander Sector 1 OPHK, Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, commended the troops for their extraordinary sacrifice and confirmed that the terrorists had been dealt a decisive blow in the joint air and ground counteroffensive.
He assured residents, humanitarian agencies and other stakeholders providing humanitarian services in the area that the Nigerian Army remains unwavering in its commitment to protect the people and their means of survival.
The Nigerian Army however said it deeply regrets the loss of one gallant soldier who paid the supreme price and those injured in defence of thousands of families, noting that yhe sacrifice of the troops and that of many others before them stands as a testament to the Army’s resolve to guarantee peace, dignity and safety for every Nigerian returning home after years of displacement.
The Nigerian Army said it remains resilient and more determined than ever to sustain ongoing operations, adding that under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General OO Oluyede, it remain unwavering resolute to safeguarding lives and property while discharging their constitutional mandate within a joint and multi-agency operational framework.
