Troops Crush ISWAP Assault on Gonori Military Base, Recover Arms in Major Counter-Offensive

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East) under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have successfully foiled a major attack by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province fighters on the 120 Task Force Battalion in Gonori, Borno State, killing several insurgents and recovering weapons during a fierce overnight battle.

The coordinated attack, which began late on Saturday and lasted into the early hours of Sunday, was reportedly launched from the Mandunari axis as insurgents attempted to infiltrate and overrun the military formation under Sector 2 of the ongoing counter-insurgency operation in the North-East.

Military sources disclosed that the terrorists were detected ahead of their advance by an ambush team strategically positioned along their route of movement. Acting on the intelligence and early warning, troops immediately launched a pre-emptive spoiling attack, disrupting the insurgents’ momentum and forcing them into a deadly engagement zone.

The swift response by the troops ensured that the terrorists were unable to penetrate the military base or cause any significant damage to operational assets.

According to the military, the battle intensified as ground troops engaged the attackers in close combat while aerial support from the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI and the Nigerian Army Aviation was mobilised to reinforce the operation.

The combined air-land offensive proved decisive, as fighter platforms targeted fleeing insurgents attempting to retreat from the battlefield, inflicting heavy casualties and destroying several of their fighting capabilities.

Military authorities said the operation demonstrated a high level of coordination between land and air forces, a strategy that has increasingly strengthened ongoing offensives against insurgent groups in the North-East.

Following the encounter, troops conducted an extensive exploitation of the area, where they discovered blood trails, body parts, and multiple terrorist corpses scattered across the battlefield—an indication of the scale of casualties suffered by the attackers.

Security operatives also recovered several weapons and ammunition abandoned by the insurgents during their retreat. The recovered items include 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 noted that the recovered arms would aid intelligence gathering and ongoing investigations into insurgent operations within the region.

Although some soldiers sustained injuries during the exchange of fire, military authorities confirmed that the wounded personnel are in stable condition and currently receiving medical attention.

Meanwhile, exploitation and pursuit operations are still ongoing across the Gonori axis and surrounding communities as troops intensify efforts to track and eliminate fleeing insurgents.

The latest failed attack on the Gonori military base is seen as another major setback for ISWAP’s operational ambitions in the North-East, particularly as troops continue to sustain pressure on terrorist enclaves through aggressive ground offensives and precision airstrikes.

Security analysts say the repeated attempts by insurgents to attack military formations indicate desperation and a struggle to regain lost territory, amid sustained military operations that have weakened their capabilities in recent months.

Operation HADIN KAI has remained at the forefront of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism campaign in the North-East, conducting both offensive and defensive operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and restoring peace in the region.

Military authorities have reassured residents of communities in the theatre of operation that troops remain battle-ready and committed to denying insurgents freedom of action, while urging citizens to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible intelligence.

The successful defence of the Gonori base further reinforces the operational dominance of Nigerian troops in the North-East and highlights the increasing effectiveness of joint military operations against insurgency in the region.