Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have killed a senior Boko Haram commander identified as the group’s second-in-command, along with 10 other fighters, during a night operation in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.
The operation took place around 11 p.m. on Saturday at the Komala general area of Konduga Local Government Area.
Confirming the development in a statement on Sunday, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North East Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sanni Uba, said the slain commander, Abu Khalid, was a key figure within Boko Haram’s leadership structure in the Sambisa axis.
According to him, troops of Sector 1, working alongside members of the Civilian Joint Task Force under Operation Desert Sanity, engaged the terrorists during a coordinated night offensive, leading to the successful neutralisation of the group.
Uba disclosed that several weapons and logistics were recovered from the scene, including five AK-47 rifles, magazines, bicycles, food supplies and large quantities of medical items.
He noted that the operation occurred less than 24 hours after troops eliminated another notorious Boko Haram/ISWAP commander, Julaibib, during an encounter around the Gujba axis of the Timbuktu Triangle.
“No casualty was recorded on the side of the troops,” Uba said, adding that morale among soldiers remains high as clearance operations continue across Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains, the Timbuktu Triangle and other known terrorist hideouts in the North-East.
The Joint Task Force reaffirmed its resolve to sustain offensive operations until all remaining terrorist elements are dismantled and lasting peace restored to the region.
The military high command also commended the troops for their dedication and sacrifices, urging them to maintain the current operational momentum.
On Saturday, the military had announced the killing of Julaibib, a top ISWAP commander, during an encounter near Kimba in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State on January 30, 2026. Troops, in collaboration with the Civilian Joint Task Force, also neutralised three terrorists during an ambush between Ngazalgana and Lamusheri communities.
