Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), working under the Joint Task Force (JTF) Northeast, have reported a significant counterterrorism win: neutralizing nine suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters in Mafa LGA, Borno State, while rescuing 74 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from a likely abduction along the Buratai–Kamuya road.

According to a statement by Lt. Col. Uba Sanni, Media Information Officer for OPHK, the clash at Yanaga Ari occurred on 12 November 2025 during Operation Desert Sanity IV, which has ramped up under direct orders from the Chief of Army Staff. The operation is part of a broader offensive designed to keep pressure on insurgent hideouts.

“In compliance with the recent charge by the Chief of Army Staff … directing troops to sustain pressure … we have continued to record huge operational successes …” Sanni said.

During the encounter, the troops recovered five AK-47 rifles, numerous rounds of ammunition, and other logistical materials.

In a related, and deeply concerning incident, 74 NYSC members — 36 males and 38 females — were rescued after their vehicles broke down around 9:05 p.m. near a known kidnapping hotspot in Biu LGA. Surveillance via a CCTV system monitored by the military detected movement around the stranded buses, triggering a rapid-response patrol to save the stranded corps members.

The soldiers swiftly secured the area and evacuated the NYSC members to safety. They are currently being housed at the Buratai Military Base, according to the military.

The theatre commander for OPHK, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, publicly commended the troops’ agility and courage, calling their response “gallant” and crucial for averting another potential mass abduction.

Backlash and Calls for Reform

The rescue has sparked praise, but not everyone applauds: the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned the NYSC’s decision to post members to high-risk zones like Borno, calling it “reckless endangerment.” HURIWA argued that NYSC corps members should not be routinely deployed to volatile, insurgent-prone areas without better protection or warning.