Four Nigerian soldiers were killed and five wounded as troops repelled a coordinated insurgent attack in Ngamdu, Borno State.
The late Thursday assault targeted military personnel and vehicles with rocket-propelled grenades, armed drones, and improvised explosive devices, the army confirmed.
Reinforcements from the 29 Task Force Brigade helped push back the insurgents, who also damaged several Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and gun trucks.
Multiple IEDs were planted along the Ngamdu–Damaturu main supply route, temporarily halting movement before military engineers cleared three explosive-laden sites.
The reopening of the route restored passage for both military convoys and civilian traffic, the army said, stressing vigilance against further attacks.
Military spokespeople reported at least 15 insurgents were killed in the operation, signalling a fierce response to growing insurgent activity.
Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have increased assaults on Borno military bases this year, amid a decade-long insurgency.
Conflict monitoring group ACLED recorded 333 attacks in northeast Nigeria so far this year, nearing the 375 reported across all of 2024.
Nigeria’s military says recent counterinsurgency operations aim to dismantle insurgency networks and reclaim territory in the heart of the northeastern region.
The insurgency has killed thousands and displaced around two million people, leaving scars across communities struggling to survive the violence.