Key facts
- Over 25 Islamic State-aligned militants were killed in an assault on a military position in Borno State.
- An unknown number of Nigerian soldiers were killed in the Borno State incident.
- More than three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed in Borno State.
- Gunmen killed at least 25 soldiers and over 100 small-scale gold miners in Zamfara State.
- The Zamfara State attack occurred on October 5, with gunmen on motorbikes attacking a military camp.
- Reuters could not independently confirm the casualty figures from the Zamfara State incident.
Dozens of people, including soldiers, militants, and miners, were killed in separate attacks across Nigeria, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the country. In northeastern Borno State, troops repelled an assault by Islamic State-aligned militants on a military position, neutralizing over 25 fighters but suffering casualties of their own. The incident occurred on Tuesday night in Kukawa, near Lake Chad.
Captain Mohammed Goni, acting military information officer for Operation Hadin Kai, stated that preliminary assessments indicated over 25 terrorists were neutralized, with 14 bodies recovered. Troops also seized six AK-47 rifles and ammunition. Military sources confirmed some soldiers were killed, but did not provide specific numbers. A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force reported that more than three of its members died in the fighting.
In a separate incident on October 5 in the northwestern Zamfara State, heavily armed bandits on motorcycles attacked a military camp in Bindin, killing at least 25 troops. Eyewitnesses and a military source participating in a reinforcement operation confirmed seeing 25 bodies. After overrunning the base, the gunmen looted it and then opened fire in a nearby mining pit where approximately 1,000 people were digging for gold, resulting in at least 100 deaths, according to a village head and victims' relatives. Reuters could not independently confirm these casualty figures, and neither the Nigerian military nor the Zamfara State government responded to requests for comment.