Nigerian troops fighting under the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have reported significant progress in the country’s long-running battle against Islamist insurgency, with 438 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters killed over the past seven months of coordinated operations. The announcement, made by Theatre Commander Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar during a Christmas luncheon in Maiduguri, Borno State, underscores renewed military efforts to degrade terrorist networks that have terrorised communities across northeast Nigeria.
The offensive, carried out between May and December 2025, reflects an ongoing campaign by OPHK forces to disrupt insurgent activities, recover weapons and equipment, and rescue civilians held in extremist enclaves. According to Maj.-Gen. Abubakar, troops have also recovered 254 assorted weapons and 300 communication devices, and successfully rescued 366 civilians who were trapped or held by the militants. In addition, 881 fighters and family members surrendered during negotiations or after military pressure, another sign of the operation’s impact on insurgent morale and capacity.
Operation Hadin Kai which translates to “Operation Act Together,” is Nigeria’s principal counter-insurgency campaign against Boko Haram and ISWAP in the northeast region. The insurgency emerged in 2009 and quickly evolved into one of Africa’s most violent conflicts, displacing millions, killing thousands, and destabilising border areas shared with Cameroon, Chad and Niger. The two factions — Boko Haram, formally Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), and the splinter Islamic State West Africa Province — have both been responsible for widespread attacks, including bombings, kidnappings, and assaults on civilians.
Military analysts say the sustained operations have combined ground assaults, air support, intelligence-led raids and community collaboration to keep insurgents under pressure. Earlier in the year, coordinated strikes in places like Bama and Konduga led to dozens of militants being neutralized and significant insurgent equipment being destroyed.
The civilian toll of the insurgency has been immense over the past decade, with families displaced, villages abandoned, and children conscripted into extremist ranks. In 2025, the operatives of OPHK rescued dozens of kidnapped victims and arrested suppliers of logistics involved in terrorist activities. One particular operation involved the rescue of 86 kidnapped persons who were freed when the troops intercepted a group attempting abduction along the Buratai-Kamuya Road in Borno State.
On the other hand, the large number of insurgent surrenderings, including militants who opted to surrender instead of living in isolation, signal a paradigm shift in the course of the conflict. This trend, in addition to wiping out the number of militants, aids in the rehabilitation of these individuals if they are willing to abandon violent activies.
The Nigerian government has, however, ensured that its intent and goals are clear, as its operation is not only directed at Boko Haram militants but also aims to ensure “safe living conditions and facilitate displaced persons returning home.” As the operation proceeds, the Nigerian army has also ensured that terrorist hideouts and logistics are dismantled, as some key towns were under the threat of insurgents.
Although the insurgency continues to thrive in some rough terrains like the huge Sambisa Forest and the border areas, the overall gains registered seem to reflect an emerging capacity of the Nigerian security forces to deal with these threats. Internationally, the question of collaboration between nations and regional security institutions to prevent movement across borders by the terrorist groups continues to be raised.
Yet, despite this progress, according to the military, questions still persist over the northeast’s long-term stability and the conditions enabling the persistence of radical ideologies. And analysts argue that improvement in governance, economic opportunities, and community trust is required, aside from pure military action.
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For now, the reported neutralization of 438 militants and recovery of weapons highlights a significant chapter in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism drive, one which the local communities hope finally will translate into lasting peace and security.
