Boko Haram Commander Malam Jidda Neutralized in Joint OPHK–Multinational Force Operation

A high-profile counterinsurgency operation conducted by Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in coordination with the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has resulted in the neutralisation of Malam Jidda, a senior Boko Haram/ISWAP commander described as the “emir” of the Ngorgore and Malumti areas. The offensive took place in the Ngazalgana region of Gujba Local Government Area in Yobe State and was supported by precision airstrikes.

According to a statement by Captain Reuben Kovangiya, acting deputy director of public relations for the Nigerian Army within the HADIN KAI operations theatre, the joint air and ground campaign eliminated the militant leader and disrupted his fighters. Several insurgents were reportedly killed or severely injured in the clashes.

In a separate tactical operation, OPHK and MNJTF units carried out a surprise ambush in the Timbuktu Triangle, an area long associated with militant activity. The manoeuvre led to the elimination of additional insurgent combatants.

Further sweep operations conducted in the vicinity of Mallam Fatori, located in Abadam LGA of Borno State, uncovered additional insurgent casualties and a significant weapons cache. Seized items included AK-47 rifles, motorcycles used by fighters, large quantities of ammunition, rocket launcher tubes, hand grenades, radio equipment, and various logistical supplies.

The Nigerian Army statement emphasised that “these coordinated offensives, made possible through close cooperation between OPHK and the Multinational Joint Task Force, demonstrate the increasing effectiveness of counterinsurgency operations in the region.”

The MNJTF, composed of military personnel from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Benin, continues to play a key role in stabilizing the Lake Chad Basin, a region affected by over a decade of insurgent violence.

The elimination of Malam Jidda represents another step toward dismantling terrorist networks and supporting efforts to restore long-term peace and security in northeastern Nigeria.

MMI