The Nigerian Army has neutralised three high-ranking terrorist commanders and approximately 80 insurgents after foiling a massive, drone-supported dawn raid on a military base in Borno State.
In a significant victory for Operation Hadin Kai, troops of the 68 Battalion successfully repelled a coordinated assault by Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in the early hours of Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The insurgents, who were advancing from the Duguri general area on foot, attempted to breach the battalion’s Main Defensive Area using a sophisticated mix of ground forces and multiple armed drones. However, the military met the “daredevil” advancement with superior firepower, neutralizing approximately 80 terrorists in a fierce gun battle. The military confirmed that the remaining fighters fled toward the Arege area, leaving behind a cache of weapons and several downed commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) drones.
Security sources have now identified the three top commanders killed during the encounter as Abdulrahman Gobara, Mallam Ba Yuram, and Abou Ayyuba. These individuals were described as the strategic brains behind the foiled attack and were known for coordinating previous insurgent activities in the Lake Chad basin. The operation also resulted in the deaths of several other notorious fighters, including Zarkawi, Ba Bunu, Rawa Fannami, Abowor Suwurti, Bulama Mil, Abu Aisha, Suleimana, Abu Rijal, and Abu Ali. This successful defense comes at a critical time as the military relocates its top brass to Maiduguri following the devastating triple suicide bombings that claimed 23 lives earlier this week.
The use of “multiple armed drones” by the terrorists during this raid highlights a dangerous escalation in their tactical capabilities, which has been a growing concern for defense analysts throughout early 2026. Military authorities noted that the 68 Battalion was able to counter the aerial threat using newly deployed anti-drone surveillance assets. While four soldiers sustained minor injuries during the exchange, the army hailed the operation as a major blow to the leadership structure of both Boko Haram and its offshoot, ISWAP. With the neutralization of Gobara and his cohorts, security experts believe the insurgents’ ability to coordinate large-scale “swarm” attacks in the Duguri sector has been significantly degraded.
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