By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, have foiled coordinated attacks by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on a military location in Goniri, Yobe State, killing more than 20 insurgents during a fierce overnight battle.
The Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, explaining that the attacks occurred from the night of Monday, March 9, 2026, through the early hours of Tuesday, March 10, when troops under Sector 2 came under heavy assault from multiple directions.
Uba said the terrorists were initially detected through surveillance assets advancing simultaneously from Goniri village and the Ngamdu junction axis in what appeared to be an attempt to encircle the military position.
He noted that the alert troops responded swiftly with superior firepower and coordinated tactical manoeuvres, effectively repelling the attackers.
Reinforcements were quickly mobilised to the location, while the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI provided timely close air support that significantly degraded the terrorists’ combat capability.
During the intense firefight, the insurgents were overwhelmed and forced to retreat in disarray after suffering heavy casualties. Among those killed was a senior terrorist commander identified as Abu Yusu, the Munzir of Dursula.
Troops subsequently recovered several terrorist bodies, as well as weapons and equipment abandoned during the retreat. Items recovered included multiple machine guns, AK-47 rifles, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), bombs, and assorted ammunition.
Further exploitation and clearance operations carried out by troops in the general area of Gwaigomari within the Timbuktu Triangle also led to the discovery of additional terrorist bodies during follow-up patrols conducted up to the early hours of Wednesday, March 11.
Some soldiers sustained injuries during the encounter but were promptly evacuated for medical attention and are currently reported to be in stable condition.
The military confirmed that the location remains firmly under the control of Operation HADIN KAI troops, while ground forces supported by the Air Component have continued aggressive follow-up operations in surrounding areas.
Additional search and clearance operations are also ongoing in nearby communities where some wounded terrorists are believed to have fled.
