By Nkechi Eze
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have successfully repelled a late-night attack by suspected ISWAP terrorists on the 120 Task Force Battalion in Gonori under Sector 2, killing scores of insurgents and recovering weapons during a coordinated air-land operation.
In an official signed statement by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the military disclosed that the terrorists launched the attack from the Mandunari axis around midnight on Saturday, 9 May 2026, extending into the early hours of Sunday, 10 May 2026.
According to the statement, the insurgents were detected early by an ambush team, prompting troops to execute a coordinated spoiling attack that trapped the terrorists in what was described as a devastating killing zone.
The statement noted that the attackers failed to breach any part of the military camp, while no equipment was lost during the encounter.
Lieutenant Colonel Uba further disclosed that air platforms from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI and the Nigerian Army Aviation were immediately deployed to support ground troops, leading to a synchronised air-land assault that decimated the fleeing terrorists and reinforced their total defeat.
“Exploitation of the general area revealed extensive blood trails, body parts and battle damage consistent with scores of terrorist casualties, in addition to terrorist corpses recovered within the immediate vicinity,” the statement said.
Recovered items from the scene included one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two PKT machine guns, five AK-47 rifles, several belts of assorted ammunition, and other personal effects believed to belong to the terrorists.
The military also confirmed that wounded soldiers from the encounter were in stable condition and receiving appropriate medical attention.
The statement added that exploitation operations were ongoing within the area to consolidate operational gains and track down fleeing terrorists.
Operation HADIN KAI maintained that the failed attack further demonstrated the operational dominance of troops in the North East theatre and underscored the futility of terrorist assaults against battle-ready forces.
