Nigerian Army sustains offensive under Operation Desert Sanity V, crushes terrorist cells in Timbuktu and Bulabulin

Crime Diary

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have continued to sustain offensive pressure against terrorist elements under Operation Desert Sanity V, recording significant gains in coordinated engagements across the Timbuktu and Bulabulin forest areas.

According to a statement issued on April 29, 2026, by Lt. Col. Sani Uba, Media Information Officer at OPHK Headquarters, troops of Sector 2, supported by the Air Component Command, cleared terrorist enclaves at Mar, Subdu, Yaro Lawanti, and Yaro Shuwari, as well as areas contiguous to Bulabulin Forest and the Kamadogu Yobe stretch.

In Malam Shiri Village, troops executed a tactical flanking manoeuvre, neutralising 11 terrorists and destroying life‑support structures. Recovered items included 9 AK‑47 rifles, 3 PKT anti‑aircraft machine guns, 5 motorcycles, assorted ammunition, and IED materials.

Similarly, along the Wajiroko–Sabongari corridor in the Timbuktu axis, troops engaged terrorists with air support, neutralising 7 fighters and recovering AK‑47 rifles, RPG tubes, ammunition, bandoliers, and communication equipment. Exploitation revealed additional casualties through blood trails and body parts, indicating higher enemy losses.

The statement noted that the Air Component Command played a decisive role, providing persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) that enabled precision strikes on confirmed terrorist positions and fleeing elements. Follow‑up exploitation operations are ongoing along the Forfor, Multe, and Wajiroko axes to consolidate gains and prevent regrouping.

The Nigerian Army said these successful engagements reinforce OPHK’s growing operational effectiveness and sustained dominance across the theatre, underscoring its commitment to dismantling terrorist cells and restoring security in the North East.