Soldiers kill many terrorists in Borno

Troops of the Nigerian military attached to Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised many terrorists attempting to infiltrate troops’ new location in the New Marte area of Borno State.

It was learnt that the terrorists were planning to wreak havoc on the location before they were decimated by both ground and air troops attached to the theatre of operation.

The terrorists’ foiled attack happened on Tuesday morning, by soldiers from the 24 Task Force Brigade Garrison and 134 Special Forces Battalion.

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Confirming the development to journalists, acting spokesman at the Headquarters Theatre Command Operation Hadin Kai, Reuben Kovangiya, disclosed that some terrorists fled with bullet wounds.

Kovangiya explained that the terrorists were overpowered following air component’s immediate provision of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, as well as offensive fire support for the ground troops.

According to him, troops recovered one of the Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device SUVs abandoned by the terrorists, including several motorcycles destroyed by the precision strikes of the air troops.

He said, “In a well-coordinated operation by ground forces bolstered by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, scores of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists were neutralised in a foiled attack on their location in New Marte, Borno State.

“The failed attack took place in the early hours of May 27, 2025, when insurgents attempted to infiltrate the troops’ location in New Marte.

“A firefight ensued, and reinforcements from 24 Task Force Brigade Garrison and 134 Special Forces Battalion, swiftly mobilised to the location, engaging the terrorists with heavy gunfire.”

He, however, described it as “regrettable” that two soldiers paid the supreme price during the exchange of gunfire.

“Regrettably, two soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice. Troops also discovered lifeless bodies of the terrorists, with traces of blood on their withdrawal routes, further suggesting more casualties inflicted on the terrorists.

“In a related development, some terrorists also met their waterloo, receiving a bloody nose from the gallant troops, when they made a daring attempt to attack the Forward Operating Base at Kumshe.

“Consequently, the resilient and determined troops have vowed to keep terrorists on the back foot and deny them freedom of action.

“The collaborative effort demonstrates the renewed jointness and team spirit in the fight against terrorism, geared towards bringing lasting peace to enable socio-economic activities to thrive in the North East region, in line with the mandate of Operation Hadin Kai.”

No Borno LGA will fall to insurgents – Zulum

Meanwhile, Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, on Monday said he was working with the federal government to combat the rising insurgency in the state.

Addressing State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor said, “We made a plea to the federal government, and I believe within the last couple of days, the Nigerian Armed Forces have taken certain decisions that will curtail the insurgency.”

The governor also disclosed that other plans are in the pipeline to eliminate the insurgents. “Some plans are underway by the federal government, especially the establishment of forest guards. That will be a game-changer.

“The president has given me assurance that they will do everything to control the situation, and I believe the federal government will do something,” Zulum said.

On his part, the governor said he would not relent in strengthening the resilience of communities and getting volunteers to complement the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“A few days ago, I made a call that no local government should be allowed to be taken over by Boko Haram or ISWAP members.

“So, I’m calling on the Nigerian Armed Forces, the civilian authorities, and all those that are concerned to rise up to the occasion and defend our local government areas.

“I believe with the support of the armed forces, we will not leave a single local government to fall into the hands of the insurgents,” the governor said.

Renewed onslaught on military bases

This month, suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched coordinated attacks on three military bases in Rann, Gajiram and Dikwa in Borno State, killing at least four soldiers.

Security and local sources said the insurgents lost many fighters in Dikwa and Gajiram, where the military repelled their attacks.

The bases were attacked barely 24 hours after the terrorists launched an assault on the military base in Marte that left unspecified number of soldiers killed, and many missing.

According to security sources, the attack on the military formation in Rann left four soldiers dead and six others injured.

“We lost four soldiers while four sustained gunshot wounds. They also set ablaze MRAP, a gun truck and a Russian-made T-72,” one of the sources said.

A resident of the town told our correspondent that terrorists invaded the military location around 12:00 a.m. and engaged the troops for hours before they overran the base.

“The military retreated. They looted weapons including gun trucks before leaving the base.

“We saw the corpses of four soldiers and other injured soldiers. I’m not sure of their number,” he added.

He said the terrorists retreated when a fighter jet arrived the military location.

It would be recalled that in 2017, a fighter jet belonging to the Nigerian air force mistakenly bombed a refugee camp in Rann, killing dozens of people and wounding scores more.

The air force authorities said the jet was on a mission against Boko Haram fighters when it accidentally struck the camp and killed the victims.

Rann is a remote town in Kala-Balge Local Government Area in the far northeastern part of Borno State. It lies approximately 175 to 200 kilometers east of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. The journey is arduous due to the poor condition of the roads and insecurity in the region.

While the road is largely unpaved, deeply rutted, and often impassable during the rainy season, armed escorts are usually required due to the persistent threat from insurgent groups. The poor infrastructure has historically hindered both humanitarian access and military operations.

Rann is also a border town, lying close to the boundary with Cameroon. This location has made it strategically important, but also vulnerable to cross-border movements by insurgents.

Rann had hosted a significant population of internally displaced persons (IDPs), especially during peak years of the Boko Haram crisis. Humanitarian organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and various UN agencies had been active there—providing food, shelter, and medical aid. However, due to security concerns, their presence has been intermittent and sometimes suspended after attacks on aid workers or facilities.

Similarly, the terrorists, who attacked Gajiram, the headquarters of Nganzai LGA were forced to retreat after more than an hour of gun battle with the troops.

Gajiram is in Borno North, about 82.4km drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Rann and Gajiram towns have witnessed a series of deadly Boko Haram attacks in recent time.

The Army Public Relations Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Reuben Kovangiya, confirmed the attacks in a statement made available to newsmen.

He said: “There were attacks in Rann, Dikwa and Gajiram. All these attacks were defeated apart from Rann where they succeeded in penetrating to an extent, leading to the loss of 4 personnel.

“However, let me reassure you that the overall resolve of the Nigerian military is that we will completely defeat this terrorism and restore peace to the region once and for all, in the shortest possible time. We just need the support of the nation,” he said.

“The terrorists have been degraded. There is little doubt that normalcy has greatly returned to the North East region, compared to where it was five to ten years ago. In war, you have several campaigns which are series of coordinated operations aimed at achieving strategic objectives.

“So you will win some and lose some. What is most important is the statistics of what you win against what you lose. In the last one week alone, over 20 terrorists have been neutralised and arms and ammunition recovered, even as we continue to conduct operations on multiple fronts as we speak. For now, most citizens have returned to their communities and socio- economic activities have returned.

“Malam Fatori and Kukawa are recent success stories where almost 20,000 IDPs have returned to their ancestral homes. However, what is happening in Nigeria is not unconnected to the situation in the greater Sahel region where barracks in neighbouring countries are being ransacked and weapons carted away. These weapons find their way down into Nigeria, due to our large and porous borders, thereby reenergising the fight,” he said.

Since January, several military formations have been attacked by terrorists in the Lake Chad region and the Mandara Hills in the Sambisa Forest areas of Borno and Yobe states.