By Joy Odor-Abuja
The Nigerian Army has scored a decisive victory in its intensified push against insurgent remnants in the North-East, neutralising nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters and rescuing 74 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in two major operations under Operation HADIN KAI.
The breakthrough comes on the heels of a recent directive by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, who ordered troops to sustain unrelenting pressure on terrorist hideouts through aggressive clearance and offensive manoeuvres across all fronts.
Under the ongoing Operation DESERT SANITY IV, soldiers of Sector 1 working with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) clashed with ISWAP fighters on 12 November 2025 at Yanaga Ari in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The brief but fierce engagement left nine terrorists dead. Troops also recovered five AK-47 rifles, multiple rounds of ammunition, and other crucial logistics supplies from the neutralised militants.
In a separate high-stakes rescue, troops of Sector 2 prevented what could have been one of the most devastating abductions in recent years.
Seventy-four NYSC members, 36 males and 38 females, fell into danger when their vehicles broke down at night along the notorious Buratai–Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area.
The Corps members, travelling to Hawul for a Christian evangelism mission, were stranded in an area long identified as a kidnapping hotspot.
A military patrol team was swiftly deployed after CCTV surveillance monitored by troops picked up suspicious movements involving three buses at the location.
The prompt intervention thwarted a Boko Haram/ISWAP attempt to abduct the corps members.
All 74 have since been evacuated safely and are being sheltered temporarily at the Tukur Yusuf Buratai Institute, pending secure onward movement.
The Defence hierarchy hailed the troops for their gallantry, rapid response, and operational precision, describing the episodes as clear evidence of renewed momentum in the campaign to stabilise the North-East.
Citizens were urged to continue supplying timely intelligence to support ongoing military efforts aimed at permanently dismantling terrorist networks across the region
