Nigerian Army Retaliates Against Terrorists, Sends 24 Insurgents to Their Graves
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have successfully repelled a coordinated midnight terrorist attack on Kukareta in Yobe State, killing at least 24 insurgents and recovering a large cache of weapons.
According to a statement published on the Nigerian Army’s verified Facebook page on Thursday, the assault began shortly after midnight on April 23, 2026, and continued until about 3:00 a.m. Troops under Sector 2 of the Joint Task Force (North-East) responded swiftly and decisively to the attack.
The statement, signed by the Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the troops successfully defended Kukareta through a deliberate offensive-defensive operation that forced the attackers into a chaotic retreat.
During the fierce exchange, security forces reportedly inflicted heavy losses on the insurgents, with 24 terrorists confirmed killed so far. Follow-up clearance operations are still underway.
Military authorities also recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including 18 AK-47 rifles, three General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), two PKT anti-aircraft guns, three RPG launch tubes, two mortar tubes, four hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines, and large quantities of 7.62mm belted ammunition.
Despite the success of the mission, two soldiers sustained injuries during the operation and have since been stabilised. One reinforcing armoured vehicle was also damaged, with all its tyres blown out.
The Army added that pursuit operations are ongoing to track down fleeing insurgents and recover additional equipment. According to the statement, the terrorists’ escape routes were littered with blood trails and medical supplies, indicating that more casualties may have been sustained.
Describing the operation as a major success, the military said it demonstrated the resilience, combat readiness, and firepower of Operation HADIN KAI troops in denying terrorists freedom of movement.
It added that sustained offensive operations would continue across the North-East to consolidate gains and decisively eliminate remaining terrorist elements.