Bride k!lled as Soldiers exchange gunfire with Boko Haram in Borno

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched coordinated attacks on two military positions in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, in the early hours of Thursday, leaving three civilians dead, according to residents and military authorities.

Witnesses said the first attack occurred at a military base in the Kofa area around 2:14 a.m., while another assault was launched on a military position in Muna at about 2:30 a.m. Residents said the attackers, who reportedly arrived on motorcycles, fired sporadically as they attempted to breach the military locations.

According to local sources, troops successfully repelled both attacks, preventing the insurgents from advancing into the city. However, three civilians were reportedly killed by stray bullets during the exchange of gunfire. A resident of Kofa, Deborah Usman, said many residents fled their homes as the gun battle intensified. She alleged that a three-week-old bride was struck in the head by a stray bullet while trying to escape and died instantly.

In Muna, residents said two other civilians were killed during the attack. A resident, Mannanaye Muhammad, said the victims were attempting to flee when gunfire erupted. He also disclosed that another woman sustained injuries after she was hit by a stray bullet inside her home.

According to him, funeral prayers for the deceased were scheduled to be held before their burial later in the day. The latest incident comes less than 24 hours after suspected insurgents attacked a military position in Logomani community in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State, where a soldier was reportedly killed.

Confirming Thursday’s attacks, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said troops successfully foiled multiple coordinated infiltration attempts by suspected ISWAP fighters across different parts of Borno State. According to the military, the attacks occurred between 12:20 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., targeting Muna Garage, Shuwari Village and the Ajilari Cross axis in an apparent attempt to gain access to Maiduguri metropolis.

The military said troops detected the advancing fighters through established early warning systems and engaged them with sustained firepower, forcing them to retreat. Captain Goni added that separate infiltration attempts at Miringa and Dutsen Kura in Buratai were also repelled.

During pursuit operations in Miringa, he said a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED), but no soldiers were injured. The military said clearance and pursuit operations are ongoing to track the fleeing insurgents, secure affected communities and prevent further attacks.