Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed 16 suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters during coordinated air and artillery strikes on three suspected terrorist enclaves in the Tunbunma area of South Lake Chad.
The operation, conducted between 1am and 2am on Monday, October 26, 2026, followed intelligence reports indicating the presence of key terrorist leaders and fighters at the targeted locations.
The Joint Task Force, which oversees Operation Hadin Kai, said the strikes formed part of sustained military offensives against terrorist networks operating in the Lake Chad Basin.
According to the military, a battle damage assessment conducted after the operation indicated that 16 ISWAP fighters had been neutralised across the three locations.
Among those reportedly killed were Abu Zubiru, identified as an Arab national, and two associates, Baana Nglewa and Jindullah Sadiq.
The military also disclosed that Abu Saleem, identified as the Wali, or leader, of Tunbunma, sustained severe injuries alongside seven other individuals during the strikes.
The operation involved the deployment of air and ground weapon systems to engage the identified terrorist positions based on intelligence gathered by security agencies.
Reaffirming its commitment to ongoing counter-terrorism operations, Operation Hadin Kai said it would sustain pressure on terrorist groups in the North-East as part of efforts to restore peace and normalcy to the region.
The task force maintained that terrorists would find no haven in the area, while urging members of the public to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to support military operations.
The Lake Chad Basin, Tunbunma, which spans parts of Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, has remained a major theatre of operations against insurgent groups, including ISWAP, which has carried out attacks on military formations, civilians, and communities across the region.
