TROOPS REPEL COORDINATED BOKO HARAM AND ISWAP ATTACKS IN BORNO AND YOBE, 48 FIGHTERS REPORTED KILLED
MAIDUGURI, November 1, 2026
Nigerian troops have repelled coordinated attacks on military positions in Borno and Yobe states following overnight engagements with fighters suspected to belong to Boko Haram and its splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The military said the operations took place between October 29 and October 30, 2026, at Bitta in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State and the North East Theatre Training School in Buni Yadi, Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
According to the military's operational account, the engagements resulted in the deaths of 48 insurgents, while weapons and ammunition were recovered. One soldier was killed and two others sustained minor injuries.
The attacks reportedly began on the night of October 29, when insurgents attempted to assault troops stationed in Bitta, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area.
Ground troops, supported by air assets, responded to the attack and disrupted the attempted assault. The military said the response inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers and prevented them from achieving their objective.
A second major engagement occurred at the North East Theatre Training School in Buni Yadi, where a large group of ISWAP fighters reportedly attacked the military facility.
The military said the assault continued from the evening of October 29 into the early hours of October 30, leading to an approximately five-hour confrontation.
Troops subsequently launched a counter-offensive involving ground forces, air support and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities.
The military attributed the outcome to coordination between the different operational components, which enabled troops to respond to the attack and recover a substantial quantity of weapons and ammunition.
The recovered items reportedly included 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four general-purpose machine guns and one 60mm mortar.
Troops also recovered 105 AK-47 magazines, two video cameras and thousands of rounds of ammunition of different calibres.
The military listed the ammunition recovered as including 30 rounds of 12.7mm armour-piercing incendiary ammunition, 2,738 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 223 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 2,054 rounds of PKT ammunition.
However, the engagements also resulted in casualties among government forces. One soldier died during the operations, while two others sustained minor injuries and were receiving medical attention.
The attacks highlight the continuing security challenges facing communities and military formations in Nigeria's North-East, where insurgent groups have maintained operations despite years of counter-insurgency campaigns.
Borno has remained a major centre of the Boko Haram insurgency, which began in the region more than a decade ago. ISWAP later emerged as a separate faction and has continued to conduct attacks against military formations and other targets.
Yobe has also experienced repeated security threats because of its proximity to Borno and the wider Lake Chad conflict zone.
Military positions have increasingly faced attacks from insurgents seeking to challenge government forces, obtain weapons and undermine security operations in the region.
The latest engagements come amid renewed reports of attacks against military positions in the North-East. Reporting on the incident indicated that assaults by Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters had increased in recent weeks.
The military's account also points to the continuing importance of air support, intelligence gathering and coordination between ground and air forces in responding to insurgent attacks.
While the reported recovery of weapons represents an operational development, the loss of a soldier underlines the human cost of the ongoing conflict for security personnel.
For residents of affected communities, the continued presence of armed groups remains a concern because military confrontations can create uncertainty, disrupt movement and increase fears about the safety of civilians.
Security operations will therefore remain important not only for protecting military installations but also for preventing insurgents from threatening surrounding communities.
The military said troops would continue operations against insurgent elements in the region. Independent confirmation of the reported insurgent casualty figure was not available in the reports reviewed.
The latest engagements demonstrate that, despite sustained military operations, the insurgency in the North-East remains an active security challenge requiring continued attention from the authorities and protection for affected communities.