Terror attacks in Borno and Zamfara have left 11 dead as troops, police and residents battle escalating insecurity

At least 11 people were confirmed dead on Thursday following fresh terror attacks in Borno, Zamfara and Plateau, as soldiers, police operatives and residents came under coordinated assaults by insurgents, armed bandits and suspected kidnappers.

Also read: Borno: Twelve abducted victims escape Boko Haram detention

The deadly incidents included an attack by ISWAP fighters on a military Forward Operating Base in Magumeri, an Improvised Explosive Device blast targeting commuters along the Bagega–Anka road in Zamfara, and a gun duel between police operatives and suspected kidnappers in Plateau State.

Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Lt Col Sani Uba, confirmed that two soldiers were killed after ISWAP terrorists attacked the military base in Magumeri in the early hours of Wednesday.

Uba said troops repelled the assault despite what he described as a minor breach within an isolated section of the camp.

“Troops fought gallantly and decisively contained and defeated the attack by neutralising scores of the terrorists,” Uba stated.

According to the military, troops later discovered blood trails, dragged bodies and terrorist corpses within the surrounding area, indicating heavy casualties among the insurgents.

Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons, including PKT automatic anti-aircraft guns and AK-47 rifles abandoned by fleeing attackers.

Uba said one officer and other wounded personnel were receiving medical treatment, while some military equipment and temporary structures were damaged by fire during the fierce confrontation.

In Zamfara State, six people were killed and six others injured after an IED exploded along the Bagega–Anka road, an area that has witnessed rising insecurity in recent weeks.

Police spokesman DSP Yazid Abubakar said the command deployed its Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to secure the scene and clear the route of additional explosive threats.

Residents described the atmosphere across nearby communities as tense, with many travellers now relying on military escorts for movement along the road.

The latest terror attacks in Borno and Zamfara came amid intensified military offensives targeting armed groups operating within the Bagega–Sunke forest corridor.

Troops under Operation Fansan Yamma also killed two suspected terrorists during coordinated clearance operations across Talata Mafara and Maradun Local Government Areas.

Media Information Officer of Joint Task Force North West, Lt Col Aliyu Danja, said troops engaged armed men at Tungar Magaji village with superior firepower before recovering an AK-47 rifle and a motorcycle.

Meanwhile, police operatives in Plateau State killed one suspected kidnapper during a gun battle in Changal Village, Gindiri District of Mangu Local Government Area.

Police spokesman SP Alfred Alabo said detectives came under attack while tracking criminal elements allegedly led by Ibrahim Abdullahi, whom authorities described as a notorious suspect linked to violent crimes in the area.

The command said another suspect sustained injuries while attempting to escape and was later taken to hospital under police custody.

Recovered exhibits included an AK-47 rifle loaded with 16 rounds of live ammunition and a mobile phone believed to belong to one of the victims.

The worsening violence has triggered renewed political concern, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar warning that the recurring attacks in Plateau State now bear the “signature of organised terrorism.”

Atiku criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu over what he described as an ineffective counterterrorism response, particularly following reports of an alleged attack on mourners during a burial in Barkin Ladi.

The alleged burial attack has since sparked controversy between the Plateau State Police Command and the Berom Youth Moulders-Association.

While police dismissed reports of gunmen attacking mourners as false and exaggerated, the youth association insisted armed men attempted to invade the burial ceremony before being repelled by security personnel and local vigilantes.

The group further claimed that two persons were later killed in nearby Zat Community after the attackers failed to breach the burial venue.

Also read: Borno youth alliance pleads for vital intervention over abduction

The wave of violence has deepened anxiety across affected communities as security agencies intensify operations to contain insurgency, banditry and kidnapping activities across northern Nigeria.