SUSPECTED Boko Haram insurgents launched coordinated attacks on two military formations in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, in the early hours of Friday, leaving three residents dead.
News Point Nigeria reports that the terrorists attacked a military base in Kofa at about 2:14 a.m. before striking another military location in Muna around 2:30 a.m.
Witnesses and residents of the affected communities said the insurgents stormed the areas on motorcycles and opened fire indiscriminately as they attempted to infiltrate the city.
Sources from both locations disclosed that troops successfully repelled the attacks, but three civilians were killed by stray bullets during the ensuing exchange of gunfire.
A resident of Kofa, Deborah Usman, recounted that many residents fled for safety as the insurgents engaged soldiers stationed at the military post.
According to her, one of the victims was a woman who had been married for just three weeks.
“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,” Usman said.
Residents of Muna said the insurgents attacked troops stationed around the Customs office in an apparent attempt to breach the defences protecting Maiduguri.
Mannanaye Muhammad, a resident of the area, said two other persons were killed while trying to escape the attack.
“They were trying to escape the area when the insurgents 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 said.
Muhammad added that funeral prayers had been scheduled, with the victims expected to be buried by noon.
The latest attack came barely 24 hours after insurgents struck a military location in Logomani community in Ngala Local Government Area of the state, where a soldier was reportedly killed.
Confirming Friday’s incident, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said troops had successfully repelled multiple coordinated infiltration attempts by terrorists across Borno State.
In a statement, Goni said: “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 among 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.”