Nigerian soldiers repelled coordinated overnight attacks by Islamist insurgents who used armed drones and heavy weapons to strike four districts in the country’s northeast, a military spokesperson said on Thursday.
The assaults, which took place between midnight and 0300 GMT, targeted three military positions in Borno State and another in neighbouring Yobe State. Insurgents reportedly set fire to a military barracks before being driven back by government forces.
“Some troops were wounded in action but are in stable condition. Vehicles and buildings were gutted by fire from the terrorists’ armed drones and rocket-propelled grenades, especially in Mafa and Dikwa where the defences were momentarily breached,” said Sani Uba, spokesperson for the Nigerian military’s counterinsurgency operation.
Uba added that troops killed around 50 attackers and recovered large quantities of ammunition.
Nigeria has battled Islamist insurgencies for more than 15 years, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced over two million people, according to humanitarian organizations.
Two security officials said the insurgents attempted to block reinforcements but retreated after the military deployed fighter jets.
Earlier this month, four soldiers were killed and five wounded in a separate attack in Borno State.
According to conflict monitoring group ACLED, insurgents have carried out at least 333 attacks in northeastern Nigeria so far this year, compared with 375 in 2024. The violence forms part of a broader wave of insecurity that also includes deadly bandit raids in the northwest and farmer-herder clashes in the country’s central region.
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Source:Africa Publicity
