Nigerian Troops Kill 25 ISWAP Terrorists in Borno Attack

Nigerian Troops Kill 25 ISWAP Terrorists in Borno Attack

  • Nigerian troops repelled an ISWAP assault on Kukawa town in Borno State that lasted from the night of October 6 into the following morning
  • The military also confirmed the killing of a senior ISWAP commander who led the group's Central Nigeria faction from Ondo State
  • Across the Northeast and South-East, troops rescued dozens of abductees, including 20 prospective NYSC members taken on the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

Borno State - Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) killed 25 ISWAP fighters who launched a night-time assault on Kukawa town in Borno State, the Defence Headquarters announced at the weekend.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, said the attack began on the night of October 6 and that soldiers, backed by the Nigerian Air Force, fought off the militants in a gun battle that stretched into the morning of October 7, 2026.

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Nigerian troops kill 25 ISWAP fighters in night battle to defend Borno town
Nigerian military repels ISWAP assault on Kukawa, kills senior commander. Photo credit: @HQNigerianArmy
Source: Getty Images

Weapons recovered from the scene included six AK-47 rifles, 10 magazines, 797 rounds of PKT ammunition, three rocket-propelled grenade bombs, and an anti-tank bomb.

As reported by The Nation, the announcement covered military activities across several states between October 2 and 8.

Operations across the North-East

In Yobe State, troops foiled a separate terrorist attack on Abakurari village in Geidam Local Government Area on October 5, killing one militant and seizing an AK-47 rifle.

The following day, soldiers recovered two gunboat guns mounted on a riverbank at Kwatan Kuwait in Kukawa Local Government Area and an additional AK-47 at Mairari in Guzamala Local Government Area.

On the rescue side, troops freed two women near the Kuranabasa axis of Gwoza Local Government Area in Borno State on October 4.

Three people who had escaped from terrorist captivity in Cameroon were handed over to the Cameroonian Rapid Intervention Battalion at Kirawa the next day.

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On October 8, soldiers found three more abductees in the Armuda area of Gwoza who had reportedly been held for seven years, and three others were freed in the nearby Gava area.

Several militants and their associates also gave themselves up. A terrorist, two women, and their children surrendered at Ngurusoye village in Bama Local Government Area on October 5, while another insurgent turned himself in at Monguno after escaping a camp near Lake Chad.

Twelve suspected collaborators caught allegedly smuggling fish from Niger Republic were arrested in Yobe State on October 3, and a high-profile terrorist was picked up in Magumeri, Borno State, on October 5.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Olufemi Oluyede commended troops for their conduct and called on security agencies, traditional rulers, and community leaders to report anyone supporting terrorist groups ahead of the festive season.

Troops kill 25 ISWAP fighters and repell an overnight attack on Kukawa, Borno State
ISWAP attacks Borno town overnight as Nigerian troops kill 25 fighters
Source: Original

Military kills 18 terrorists, destroys logistics hubs

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI carried out an air interdiction mission targeting a terrorist enclave in Borno State on Friday, September 11, 2026.

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The operation combined ISR platforms, attack aircraft, and ground troops working together to hit terrorist structures in the Tumbunma Baba area.

Captain Mohammed Goni, the acting media information officer, revealed details of the strike in an official press statement on Friday 6.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Adekunle Dada avatar

Adekunle Dada (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Adekunle Dada is a Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a B.Sc. in Mass Communication from Lagos State University, Ojo, and brings over eight years of professional media experience to his role. He has spent his career refining his craft at PM News, The Sun, and Within Nigeria. In 2024, he earned a certification in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. He can be reached at adekunle.dada@corp.legit.ng