Army repels ISWAP attack in Borno, recovers weapons

In a significant display of operational readiness and battlefield dominance, troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have thwarted a late-night attack by ISWAP terrorists on the 120 Task Force Battalion in Gonori, Borno State. The terrorists, advancing from the Mandunari axis around midnight on May 9, 2026, were detected early and met with a swift, coordinated defensive response that prevented them from breaching the camp's perimeter.

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Troops immediately executed a well-coordinated spoiling attack which caught the terrorists in a devastating killing zone.

The military's statement detailed how troops executed a "well-coordinated spoiling attack," creating a devastating "killing zone" that overwhelmed the insurgents. The situation escalated into a joint land and air operation, with air platforms from OPHK and the Nigerian Army Aviation providing crucial support. This synchronized air-land assault effectively decimated the retreating insurgents, ensuring their total defeat and preventing any loss of equipment or breach of the camp.

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The air component subsequently completed a well synchronised air-land assault that decimated the retreating insurgents and sealed the totality of their defeat.

Following the engagement, a thorough sweep of the area revealed extensive signs of heavy casualties among the attackers, including blood trails, body parts, and battle damage consistent with scores of terrorist deaths. The recovered weapons, including a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two PKT machine guns, and five AK-47 rifles, underscore the intensity of the encounter. The military emphasized that this successful repulsion of the ISWAP attack further reinforces OPHK's "unrelenting operational dominance" and highlights the "futility of terrorist aggression against well-fortified and battle-ready troops."

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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.