Army reports successes in North East as reactions trail operations, survivor recounts kidnap ordeal 

The Nigerian Army has announced a series of operational gains against insurgents in the North East, saying troops under Operation Hadin Kai foiled attacks, intercepted logistics supplies, and arrested suspected collaborators between March 28 and 30 2026.

The update was shared on the official page of the Nigerian Army, detailing operations carried out across parts of Borno State, including Damboa, Gwoza, Askira Uba, and Maiduguri.

According to the Army, troops successfully repelled planned attacks by suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters after detecting their movement through surveillance, forcing them to retreat.

It added that attempts to attack farmers and communities were also stopped, while an Improvised Explosive Device planted along the Goniri Ngamdu road was discovered and safely detonated.

In what it described as a major breakthrough, the Army said it intercepted vehicles conveying large quantities of suspected terrorist supplies.

“The consignments, equivalent to two truckloads, included medical drugs, motorcycle parts, mosquito nets and other materials believed to be heading towards terrorist enclaves,” the statement said.

Troops also arrested several suspects linked to logistics supply, including a 26year old identified as Mohammed Adamu, alongside others in separate operations.

In a follow-up update, the Army disclosed that another suspect, identified as Abubakar Ali also known as Saina, was arrested while allegedly on a reconnaissance mission.

According to the statement a suspected kidnapper was also apprehended, while drugs were recovered during search operations.

While the Army highlighted these gains, the update has sparked mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some questioning the overall impact of such operations amid continued insecurity in parts of the country.

“You people are failures in this country, we don’t have soldiers anymore remember you have families in those communities,” a user, King Olex wrote in reaction.

Another commenter, Paul Yakubu urged a different approach, saying: “Go after the sponsors and financial backers. They have the information that connects everything.”

SirGrey in his contribution, also questioned the effectiveness of security responses, stating: “The Joint Task Force failed to stop the massacre in Jos… there’s still no clear update on what really happened.”

As debates continue, a separate account by a kidnap survivor has further brought attention to the human cost of insecurity, especially outside the North East.

In a post shared online by an Ekiti-based farm manager, the victim narrated how he was abducted by armed men while working on a farm and held for 42 days.

“They were seven, carrying AK-47 rifles. They tied my hands and took me through the forest,” he recounted.

According to him, the kidnappers demanded N100 million ransom, later reducing it after negotiations, but still subjected victims to violence despite receiving payments.

He revealed that one of the victims, a tractor operator, was shot and later died after his employer failed to meet ransom demands.

“They shot him again when the money didn’t come. I was shaking, I couldn’t move… we were told to carry his body into the bush,” he said.

The survivor added that even after his family raised money multiple times, he was not released immediately, describing how victims were moved between camps and fed poorly.

“I was the only one left at some point. Others were released after paying between N1 million and N20 million,” he said.

The account has intensified concerns over the scale of insecurity across the country, with many Nigerians pointing to a disconnect between official reports of military successes and the realities faced by citizens.

Observers say while operations in the North East continue, the spread of kidnapping and violent crimes in other regions highlights the need for a broader, more coordinated security response.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities are yet to respond directly to the reactions trailing the Army’s post or the growing concerns raised by citizens.

Army reports successes in North East as reactions trail operations, survivor recounts kidnap ordeal