Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralized a top ISWAP commander, Abu Umar Bundi Munzir, along with 24 other insurgents during a foiled attack on the Kukareta community in Borno State. One ISWAP fighter was captured alive in the operation.
Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Theatre Commander of the North East Operation Hadin Kai, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Thursday, April 23, 2026, while providing a situational update on the failed attack by ISWAP terrorists.
According to the commander, the insurgents launched the attack in the early hours of Thursday, shortly after midnight, in an attempt to overrun the location. However, troops of Sector 2 engaged them decisively in a sustained counter-offensive that lasted until about 3:00 a.m.
During the encounter, the terrorists' commander, Abu Umar Bundi Munzir, was among those neutralized as troops repelled the assault and forced the remaining attackers into a disorganized withdrawal. The theatre commander also confirmed that a total of 24 other terrorists were killed in the operation, bringing the overall neutralized figure to 25.
Troops subsequently conducted exploitation of the battlefield, leading to the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition, including 18 AK-47 rifles, three General Purpose Machine Guns, two PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns, and three RPG tubes. Other items recovered include two mortar tubes, four hand grenades, 18 AK-47 magazines, and large quantities of belted 7.62mm ammunition.
Two soldiers sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter and have since been stabilized, while an armored reinforcement vehicle had its tires damaged during the firefight. Further exploitation operations are ongoing to recover fleeing terrorists' bodies and abandoned equipment along withdrawal routes, which are reportedly marked by blood trails and medical items.
The commander described the operation as a significant success in ongoing counter-insurgency efforts, noting that sustained pressure would be maintained to deny terrorist elements freedom of action in the North-East theatre.
