Nigeria’s military said Thursday it killed 50 militants using drones to attack multiple bases in the northeast.
The assaults hit army installations in Dikwa, Mafa and Gajibo in Borno state, and Katarko in neighbouring Yobe.
Troops, supported by fighter jets, engaged insurgents in early-morning strikes, resulting in significant militant casualties.
Intelligence sources told AFP the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) was likely behind the attacks, though the army did not confirm.
“Combined ground and air efforts neutralised over 50 militants across all locations,” Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba said in a statement.
Ground and aerial pursuits continue to track more than 70 wounded insurgents, with dozens of weapons seized from the fighters.
Several soldiers were wounded, and vehicles and buildings were destroyed, particularly in Mafa and Dikwa, where militants breached defences.
The attackers reportedly crossed from neighbouring Cameroon, highlighting the cross-border nature of the insurgency and regional insecurity.
Despite heavy losses, militants raided Mafa base, looting supplies after forcing troops to withdraw, a UN report said.
Locals showed AFP footage of burnt trucks, mostly carrying cement to Chad, destroyed during the militant raid.
The conflict has killed over 40,000 and displaced around two million in Nigeria’s northeast, with attacks resurging this year.