Troops Repel Terrorist Attack on Maiduguri–Damboa Road, Rescue Kidnap Victims

Troops of the Joint Task Force North East under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) on Monday successfully repelled a coordinated terrorist attack on the Maiduguri–Damboa Main Supply Route (MSR) in Borno State.

A senior military source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the attack occurred at about 3:10 p.m. on December 22.

According to the source, soldiers of the 25 Brigade were on MSR dominance patrol and escorting civilians along the Maiduguri–Damboa axis in Damboa Local Government Area when they came under attack from ISWAP/JAS terrorists.

“The terrorists employed multiple armed drones, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and an ambush in an attempt to disrupt military movement and civilian traffic along the route,” the source said.

He explained that reinforcements were swiftly deployed from Brigade Headquarters, enabling troops to repel the attack, stabilise the situation and maintain control of the area.

“The troops have dominated the location and denied the terrorists freedom of action,” he added.

The source further disclosed that offensive operations were ongoing across other sectors of OPHK under Operation Desert Sanity IV.

In the North Central region, he said troops operating under Operation Enduring Peace and Operation FANSAN YAMMA recorded further successes against kidnapping and other criminal activities in Kaduna and Plateau states.

In Kaduna State, troops of Sector 5, in collaboration with local vigilantes, arrested two suspected kidnappers during an intelligence-led operation at Pari and Rahama villages in Kauru Local Government Area.

In Plateau State, troops of Sector 2 under Operation Enduring Peace responded to a kidnapping incident in Panyam town, Mangu Local Government Area, where one person was abducted and another killed. The source said efforts to rescue the abducted victim were ongoing.

He added that troops recorded a major breakthrough in Bokkos Local Government Area, where a swift military response forced kidnappers to abandon a Reverend and his three children abducted from a church premises in Makundang village.

“The victims were successfully rescued, debriefed and reunited with their family, while troops continue the pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers in the surrounding mountainous areas,” he said.

The military, he reaffirmed, remains committed to sustaining pressure on terrorists and criminal elements across all theatres of operation to ensure the safety of lives and property nationwide.

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