Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have successfully repelled a coordinated midnight attack launched by suspected ISWAP terrorists on the 120 Task Force Battalion in Gonori, Borno State, killing scores of insurgents during a combined air and ground offensive.
The military disclosed that the failed terrorist attack occurred late on Saturday, May 9, and extended into the early hours of Sunday, May 10, 2026.
According to the Joint Task Force (North East), the terrorists advanced towards the military formation from the Mandunari axis at about midnight but were detected early by an ambush team positioned around the area.
A statement issued by the Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said troops immediately launched a coordinated spoiling attack that trapped the insurgents within a devastating killing zone.
The military stated that the terrorists were decisively overpowered before gaining access into the camp, stressing that no military equipment was lost during the encounter.
The statement further disclosed that air platforms from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI and the Nigerian Army Aviation were subsequently deployed in support operations, leading to a synchronised air-land assault on the retreating insurgents.
“Platforms from the Air Component of OPHK and the Nigerian Army Aviation earlier scrambled subsequently completed a well synchronised air-land assault that decimated the retreating insurgents and sealed the totality of their defeat,” the statement read.
Military exploitation conducted after the encounter reportedly revealed extensive blood trails, body parts, and battle damage believed to indicate heavy terrorist casualties.
Troops also recovered several weapons and ammunition from the scene, including one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two PKT machine guns, five AK-47 rifles, and belts of assorted ammunition.
The military added that some terrorist corpses were recovered within the immediate vicinity of the battlefield.
Operation HADIN KAI confirmed that wounded soldiers involved in the encounter are currently stable and receiving medical attention.
The military further stated that exploitation operations remain ongoing in the general area to track fleeing terrorists and consolidate operational gains.
The statement described the failed attack as another indication of the operational dominance of troops across the North-East theatre and the futility of attempts by insurgents to overrun military formations.
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