At least four Nigerian soldiers have lost their lives following a deadly overnight attack by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on multiple security facilities in Auno community, Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the coordinated assault, which occurred around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5, targeted military forward operating bases, police crack squad posts, and rapid response squad formations in the area.
Security sources said the attackers stormed the facilities simultaneously, firing heavily into the compounds and creating panic among residents.
During the operation, the gunmen reportedly planted an improvised explosive device along the main access road to block reinforcements.
A military gun truck responding to the distress call later triggered the explosive, leading to fatal injuries that claimed the lives of four soldiers. Several other troops were wounded in the blast and subsequent exchange of gunfire.
Inspector Salisu Adamu, attached to the police crack squad in Maiduguri, was shot in the leg and is currently receiving medical care at the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri.
Other injured soldiers were rushed to the Military Hospital at the 7 Division Nigerian Army Headquarters, where four of those critically wounded were later confirmed dead.
Troops under Operation HADIN KAI, supported by personnel from the police crack squad, the rapid response squad, and local hunters, were able to repel the attackers after intense resistance, forcing them to retreat. Security forces have since increased patrols in and around the area to prevent further incursions and reassure residents.
Borno State has remained one of the worst-hit regions in Nigeria’s prolonged insurgency, with frequent attacks on military formations and civilian settlements.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns about renewed militant activities in the North-East, coming just days after separate assaults in other parts of the country that left many civilians dead and homes destroyed.
