From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
Troops of the 120 Task Force Battalion, Goniri, under Sector 2 of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have successfully contained and repelled coordinated attacks launched by ISWAP terrorists on their location.
In a press statement, the Media Information Officer of Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the attacks occurred on the night of Monday, March 9, 2026, and continued into the early hours of Tuesday, March 10, 2026, when the troops came under attack from multiple fronts.
According to him, the terrorists were initially sighted through surveillance assets approaching the location simultaneously from Goniri village and Ngamdu junction in an attempt to encircle the camp.
The troops, however, responded with exceptional manoeuvre and firepower, coordinating their defensive actions while reinforcements and the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI provided timely and decisive air support.
The terrorists were met with overwhelming resistance and were forced to withdraw after suffering significant casualties.
The attack led to the killing of more than 20 terrorists, including a senior terrorist commander, Abu Yusu, the Munzir of Dursula, who was also neutralised during the firefight.
Several terrorist bodies were left behind, while troops recovered weapons and equipment abandoned during the retreat, including machine guns, AK-47 rifles, bombs and assorted ammunition of various calibres. Additional bodies were discovered by troops during a follow-up patrol in the general area of Gwaigomari in the Timbuktu Triangle up to the early hours of Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
He added that some sections of the defensive perimeters at the military camp were momentarily breached, while structures within the base and some vehicles sustained damage due to the intensity of the firefight. Troops who sustained injuries were immediately evacuated and are currently in stable condition. The location, however, remains firmly under the control of Operation HADIN KAI troops.
Ground forces, supported by the Air Component, are currently conducting follow-up operations in the affected areas.
Additional search operations are also ongoing in neighbouring communities where some fatally wounded terrorists were reportedly seeking refuge. OPHK reiterated its resolve to completely decimate terrorist elements across the North-East region.