MAIDUGURI — In a coordinated night of violence, suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP militants launched a series of deadly assaults across Borno State, killing four police officers and a local hunter on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The Borno State Police Command confirmed that the insurgents, armed with Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and sophisticated weaponry, targeted the Nganzai Divisional Police Headquarters and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Damasak.
The Siege at Nganzai
At approximately 1:00 AM, a large group of terrorists attacked the Nganzai Divisional Police Headquarters in an attempt to overrun the town. Four police personnel—identified as Inspectors Samuel Ezekiel and Sanusi Mohammed, and Constables Bitrus Luka and Shaibu Bukar—were killed in the line of duty.
The attackers deployed RPGs, causing significant damage to a section of the police station and partially burning an unserviceable Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC). Combined teams of the police, military, and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) engaged the insurgents in a fierce gun battle lasting over an hour before repelling the attack.
Damasak IDP Camp Attack
Shortly after the Nganzai assault, at around 2:40 AM, another group of militants struck the Mallam Fatori IDP Camp in Damasak, Mobbar LGA. One member of the local Hunters Group, 40-year-old Atom Abua, was killed while defending a security post at the camp entrance.
The insurgents set fire to approximately 20 thatched houses and destroyed various properties before being forced to retreat. This raid follows a grim trend of renewed insurgent activity in the North-East; only weeks ago, on March 13, 2026, triple suicide bombings in Maiduguri claimed the lives of at least 23 people.
Escalating Insecurity and Government Response
Borno State Commissioner of Police, Naziru Abdulmajid, has since deployed additional manpower and operational assets to the affected areas. While the command has praised the bravery and resilience of the fallen officers, local residents remain in a state of high alarm, calling for more permanent protection as they bear the brunt of insurgent activities.
As of Monday morning, April 6, 2026, security forces remain on high alert across the state, with ongoing operations aimed at tracking down the perpetrators who fled into the surrounding bush.
