ABUJA, Nigeria — Troops of Nigeria’s Joint Task Force North East, under Operation HADIN KAI, discovered a mass grave containing the corpses of about 20 people described as terrorists who were killed during military operations in the Timbuktu Triangle area of Borno State, the military said on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
The disclosure was contained in a statement issued by Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI.
He said the discovery reflected what he described as growing terrorist casualties from ongoing operations in the area.
“In a further indication of the heavy losses suffered by the terrorists, troops discovered mass graves containing an estimated 20 terrorist bodies killed during encounters with troops in the Timbuktu Triangle and buried by their cohorts,” Lt.-Col. Uba said.
“This discovery exposes the scale of terrorist casualties and further discredits terrorist propaganda narratives,” he added.
Military Says Key Locations Were Cleared
According to Lt.-Col. Uba, troops cleared and asserted control over several areas in the Timbuktu Triangle, including Tergejeri, Chiralia, and the Ajigin/Abirma general areas.
The statement said that during the operations, soldiers made intermittent contact with fleeing elements described as terrorists and opened fire, resulting in the neutralisation of several of them.
Attack Involved Two Explosive-Laden Vehicles, Statement Says
Lt.-Col. Uba said troops encountered two Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) on Tuesday while consolidating at a harbour area about six kilometres north of Chilaria.
He said one of the VBIEDs was “successfully neutralised,” while the second breached the defensive position and affected what he described as logistics platforms.
The statement said that some soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed, while others were injured.
The wounded were evacuated by Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters to the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital, Lt.-Col. Uba said.
He added that Nigerian Air Force platforms from the air component provided aerial overwatch during the evacuation, alongside other Nigerian Army air platforms, and that additional terrorists were neutralised in the process.
Separate Operation Reported in North-West
In a separate statement, the spokesman of the Joint Task Force North West Operation FASAN YAMMA, Lt.-Col. Olaniyi Osoba, said troops operating under Sector 2 had killed two people described as terrorists in Kebbi State and rescued 62 hostages in Munhaye forest in Zamfara State.
Lt.-Col. Osoba said the operations were carried out with allied security forces and local vigilantes.
“In Zamfara, troops in a separate operation, stormed Munhaye Forest, a known hideout of the notorious bandit leader Kachalla Alti following an intelligence report that the notorious bandit leader had held some captives hostage,” Lt.-Col. Osoba said.
He said the operation led to the rescue of 62 kidnapped victims who were in safe custody and that efforts were underway to reunite the victims with their families.
“These operations underscore the relentless efforts of Operation FANSAN YAMMA and its partners to dismantle terrorist networks, restore security, and protect lives in the region,” he added.
