Nigerian troops repelled coordinated attacks by fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on multiple military positions across Borno State in the early hours of Saturday, security sources said.
According to the sources, the first engagement occurred around midnight near Dala Ajilari Cross on the outskirts of Maiduguri, where troops from Operation Hadin Kai, supported by Police Crack Squad, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), the NSCDC and local hunters, repelled an ISWAP incursion. Residents reported sporadic gunfire and heightened military activity around the city perimeter.
About 1:10 a.m., insurgents attacked the 135 Special Forces Battalion in Buratai, Biu Local Government Area, engaging troops in heavy gunfire for nearly two hours. Security sources said the assailants used multiple assault groups, technical vehicles and heavy weapons in attempts to breach the facility. Forces mounted a robust defence and the attackers withdrew; a projectile reportedly struck a building inside the compound, causing a fire.
Simultaneous assaults were launched along the Baga–Mile 4 axis, including strikes on brigade headquarters and positions linked to the Special Boat Service (SBS), which secures Lake Chad waterways. ISWAP fighters, employing gun trucks, motorcycles and rocket‑propelled grenades, were met with coordinated return fire. Security sources said troops inflicted heavy casualties on the insurgents and forced them to disengage; several bodies were reportedly left behind as attackers attempted to withdraw casualties.
“We inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists. The battle began at about 1:10 a.m. and lasted nearly two hours. Many of them were killed. They tried to remove some of their dead, but several corpses were left behind,” a source in Baga told reporters.
The successful defence prompted spontaneous celebrations in Maiduguri, where residents reportedly poured into the streets to cheer soldiers. Youths led chants in support of the military, with many expressing relief and renewed confidence in security forces’ ability to protect communities.
Security sources provided the account to reporters; military authorities have not yet issued an official statement detailing casualty figures or material losses.
