MAIDUGURI, BORNO – A Nigerian Army soldier has lost his life following an overnight battle to repel a terrorist attack in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
The encounter, which occurred between Saturday night and early Sunday morning, saw troops engage a large group of insurgents in a fierce gun duel. According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication specialising in the Lake Chad region, the military successfully pushed back the attackers after receiving critical support from air strikes.
The Battle for Kukawa
Security sources indicate that the terrorists launched a coordinated assault on military positions in the area. However, the troops maintained their ground, engaging the insurgents for several hours.
The arrival of air support proved decisive, forcing the remnants of the terrorist group to retreat into the surrounding bushes with various degrees of gunshot wounds. Despite successfully repelling the attack, one soldier was confirmed killed in the line of duty.
Security Context in the Northeast
The Kukawa axis remains a flashpoint for insurgent activity due to its proximity to the Lake Chad shores, a known stronghold for both Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Military authorities have intensified clearance operations in the general area to deny the terrorists freedom of movement and to protect returning displaced persons. While the Army has yet to release an official statement regarding the casualty, reinforcements have been deployed to the area to conduct mop-up operations.
Recent Successes
The repelled attack comes on the heels of several successful ambushes by the Nigerian military in the Northeast. Over the past week, troops have neutralised several high-ranking insurgent commanders and recovered a cache of weapons, including AK-47 rifles and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
