Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have repelled a coordinated terrorist attack on Kukareta in the early hours of 23 April 2026, neutralising 24 attackers and dismantling a major weapons network in the process.
Desk: Defence & Security
Date: Thursday, 23 April 2026
Time: 10:30 WAT
Location: Kukareta, North East Nigeria
The assault, which began shortly after midnight and lasted until about 0300 hours, was met with a rapid offensive defensive response that contained the attackers and forced a disorderly withdrawal along blood marked escape routes.
A statement by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba confirmed that troops maintained fire superiority throughout the engagement and immediately transitioned into exploitation operations across the battlefield.
Heavy Weapons Recovery Signals Organised Fire Capability
Follow up exploitation operations led to the recovery of a significant cache of arms and ammunition, underscoring the scale of firepower deployed by the attackers.
Recovered items include 18 AK 47 rifles, 3 general purpose machine guns, 2 PKT anti aircraft guns, 3 RPG tubes, 2 mortar tubes, 4 hand grenades, 18 AK 47 magazines and large quantities of belted 7.62mm ammunition linked to PKT systems.
Military sources noted that the density of recovered weapons points to a structured assault formation rather than a spontaneous raid, suggesting sustained logistics support to the attackers.
Casualties, Equipment Damage and Battlefield Pressure
The operation recorded two wounded personnel who have since been stabilised. One reinforcing armoured platform sustained damage after its tyres were blown out during the exchange.
Troops continued exploitation along withdrawal corridors where additional bodies, medical consumables and abandoned equipment were being recovered as of the time of reporting.
Sustained Offensive Posture Maintained
According to the military, operations in the Kukareta axis remain ongoing with sustained offensive pressure aimed at denying terrorist elements freedom of action across the Joint Operations Area.
The command described the outcome as a reflection of troop resilience, coordinated battlefield execution and maintained fire superiority under night combat conditions.
Strategic Signal
The engagement reinforces a pattern of intensified night time interdiction operations in the North East, where armed groups are increasingly being met with rapid response containment and follow up exploitation designed to degrade their mobility, logistics and regrouping capacity.
🏷️ Tags: Operation HADIN KAI, Nigerian Army, North East Security, Counter Terrorism, Kukareta, Defence Operations
#OPHK #NigerianArmy #NorthEastNigeria #Kukareta #CounterTerrorism #SecurityUpdate #ZigDiaries
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