Nigerian forces backed by air power repelled a coordinated Islamist insurgent assault on a military base in Borno state, killing at least 80 fighters, including senior commanders, the military said Wednesday.
The pre-dawn attack targeted an army position in Mallam Fatori, near the Niger border — a strategic frontline in Nigeria’s long-running insurgency. Fighters from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) advanced on foot while deploying armed drones in a rare show of coordinated tactics.
Troops, anticipating the assault, launched what officials described as an “offensive-defensive” response, combining ground fire with sustained air support to break the attack.
Nigerian air force jets carried out precision strikes on advancing and retreating fighters, while allied Nigerien aircraft joined the operation, targeting insurgents attempting to withdraw across the border.
The military said at least three “high-profile” insurgent commanders were among those killed, though the claims could not be independently verified.
Four soldiers were wounded in the fighting and evacuated for treatment, according to military spokesperson Sani Uba, who added that battle damage assessments from the airstrikes are ongoing.
Troops also seized a significant cache of weapons, including assault rifles, RPG launchers, machine guns, ammunition, improvised explosive devices, and components used for weaponized drones.
The assault comes just days after coordinated suicide bombings in Maiduguri — the heavily fortified capital of Borno — killed at least 23 people and wounded more than 100, underscoring a shift in insurgent tactics as pressure mounts from intensified military operations.
Despite sustained offensives, Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to demonstrate the ability to launch complex, multi-layered attacks, raising fresh concerns over security in Nigeria’s northeast after nearly two decades of conflict.