Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have reportedly killed 16 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in coordinated air and artillery strikes on three suspected terrorist locations in the Tunbunma area of southern Lake Chad.
The operation was conducted between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Monday, October 26, 2026, following intelligence reports indicating the presence of key terrorist leaders and fighters in the area.
The military disclosed this in a statement issued by the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force, North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni.
According to the statement, a battle damage assessment confirmed that 16 ISWAP fighters were neutralised across the three targeted locations.
Among those reportedly killed were Abu Zubiru, described by the military as an Arab national, and his associates, Baana Nglewa and Jindullah Sadiq.
The statement added that Abu Saleem, identified as the Wali of Tunbunma, sustained severe injuries alongside seven other fighters during the operation.
The military said the offensive formed part of sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating in the Lake Chad Basin and restore peace and normalcy to Nigeria’s North-East.
It urged members of the public to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to support ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
