The fragile peace of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital was shattered on Thursday night as suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched coordinated pre-dawn assaults on two vital military strongholds, leaving three residents dead in their wake.
According to witnesses, the pre-dawn violent disrupted the night’s quiet when the attackers stormed the Kofa military base at about 2:14 a.m. and just 16 minutes later, at about 2:30 a.m., a second wave of attack hit another location at Muna, a strategic district and former camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) located in Jere Local Government Area, on the eastern outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno
According to sources from both locations, the attackers drove to the areas on motorcycles shooting sporadically, but all their forays were successfully repelled by the military.
However, the sources disclosed that unfortunately, three residents were killed by stray bullets during the crossfire between the soldiers and the insurgents, adding that among the victims killed in the crossfire of a fierce gunfight between Nigerian soldiers and Boko Haram insurgents was a newlywed bride whose family was left mourning and preparing for her burial instead of celebration.
Deborah Usman, a resident of Kofa, said, as the insurgents engaged troops at the military post, with many residents having to flee the area for safety, lamenting that, “It’s at that time that our neighbour, a three-week-old bride, was hit by a stray bullet on the head and she died instantly.”
From the Muna axis, a competent security source hinted that the attackers engaged the troops that were stationed at the Customs office, trying to infiltrate the capital city and in the process, two people were killed during the exchange of gunfire.
Speaking to some reporters, Mannanaye Muhammad, who resides in Muna, “They were trying to escape the area when the insurgent shot sporadically at their location. Most of us that decided to stay indoors were not affected, but a woman was also injured by a flying bullet in her residence.”
He confirmed that the funeral prayer was observed and bodies of the deceased were prepared for their final resting place with the burial billed for 12 noon.
The attack comes barely 24 hours after the insurgents’ attack also claimed a soldier’s life at the Forward Operating Base in Logomani community in Ngala local government area of the state. The insurgents launched a ruthless, coordinated assault on the surrounding Ngala community, where they overwhelmed local defenses, and reduced critical civilian infrastructure, including the police outpost, primary healthcare center, and school classrooms, to ashes.
Confirming the attack, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said multiple terrorist infiltration attempts have been repelled by the troops.
An official statement on the incident read: “Troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have successfully thwarted multiple coordinated infiltration attempts by ISWAP terrorists across Borno State in the early hours of 10 July 2026.
“Between 0020 hours (12:20 a.m.) and 0230 hours (2:30 a.m.), the terrorists attempted to infiltrate into Muna Garage, Shuwari Village, and the Ajilari Cross axis to gain access into the Metropolis. With early warning mechanisms emplaced, troops swiftly detected the advancing terrorists and engaged them from multiple axes with accurate firepower, decisively frustrating all attempts to infiltrate.
“In separate incidents, troops also successfully thwarted additional infiltration attempts by the terrorists at Miringa and Dutsen Kura in Buratai. During the pursuit of the fleeing terrorists at Miringa, a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) with no casualties recorded on troops. The situation remains stable.
“Overwhelmed by the troops’ speedy tactical manoeuvre, the terrorists were forced to abandon their mission and retreat in confusion across all axes. Troops are currently conducting clearance and exploitation operations to pursue the fleeing terrorists, consolidate operational gains, dominate the area, and prevent any further threat to nearby communities.”
