At least five Nigerian soldiers were killed in separate but coordinated attacks on army bases in Borno State early Tuesday, security sources and local officials confirmed. The assaults come less than 24 hours after another deadly incident involving troops in the region.
The attacks occurred in Dikwa and Kala Balge districts, both located in northeastern Borno, an area that has faced over a decade of violent insurgency.
Soldiers from the 24 Task Force Brigade in Dikwa reported that militants deployed two drones to monitor the base before launching an assault around 1 a.m. Troops from the 153 Battalion, stationed nearby in Marte district, had also come under attack the previous day, resulting in the deaths of at least five personnel.
Despite requests for information, Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, which oversees counterinsurgency operations in the region, has not issued an official statement.
“We managed to push them back with the help of air support. Several attackers were taken down during the response,” said one soldier who participated in the operation.
Around the same time, another group of gunmen mounted on trucks fitted with machine guns attacked the 3rd Battalion base in the Rann area of Kala Balge. The assailants set fire to a mine-resistant vehicle, a gun truck, and a T-72 tank. However, they were forced to retreat following the arrival of fighter jets from the Nigerian Air Force.
According to a district official, five soldiers were confirmed dead in the Rann attack, and four others sustained gunshot injuries.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum condemned the attacks and reaffirmed his administration’s backing for the armed forces and civilian volunteers engaged in the fight against insurgency.
“Our determination to support all forces working to end terrorism in Borno remains stronger than ever,” he said.
Last month, Zulum raised concerns that insurgents—who were previously driven out of large parts of the northeast—appear to be regaining strength in some areas of the state.