Troops Foil Large-Scale ISWAP Attack on Chibok, Launch Counter-Strikes

Security forces in Borno State have averted what could have been a devastating assault on Chibok after soldiers of the 28 Task Force Brigade, operating under Sector 4 of Operation Hadin Kai, thwarted a major offensive by hundreds of ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters in the early hours of Saturday.

The extremists stormed the area around 3:00 a.m., advancing from multiple directions in an attempt to overpower defensive positions and gain entry into the community.

The troops, however, held their ground and forced the attackers into a chaotic retreat.

Once the militants began withdrawing, ground units immediately called for air support. The Nigerian Air Force responded without delay, deploying fighter jets that struck the terrorists’ escape routes with precision-guided attacks.

NAF officials confirmed that four significant air raids were executed, each based on intelligence relayed in real time by troops on the ground. The initial bombardment hit a sizeable group of fleeing insurgents trying to regroup, while subsequent strikes targeted smaller formations attempting to scatter into nearby forests.

An armed drone also provided uninterrupted surveillance over the area, tracking and neutralising additional fighters attempting to evade air and ground pursuit. Military sources said the drone’s strikes further disorganized the militants’ chain of command and destroyed key movement patterns.

The combined land-and-air operation highlights the strengthening cooperation between the Army and the Air Force under Operation Hadin Kai, marking another setback for ISWAP’s capabilities in the North-East region.