In the pre-dawn darkness of Wednesday, the quiet farming community of Izge in Borno State was rattled by the crackle of gunfire and the deep rumble of motorcycles as Boko Haram insurgents attempted a coordinated assault.
But their plans were swiftly upended.
According to a military statement from Operation Hadin Kai, troops of the Nigerian Army’s 26 Taskforce Brigade stationed in Gwoza intercepted the attack and engaged the militants in a fierce gunfight that lasted several hours.
By dawn, eight Boko Haram fighters lay dead, while others retreated into the wilderness, reportedly nursing gunshot wounds.
Captain Reuben Kovangiya, acting spokesperson for the military operation, confirmed the attack was successfully repelled, with troops recovering one PKT automatic machine gun with attached ammunition belts, several motorcycles, and ten bicycles used by the fleeing insurgents.
The military also faced another challenge that night in Malam Fatori, a volatile border town near Niger Republic. Soldiers stationed there repelled a separate attack, inflicting “several casualties” on the attackers, according to Captain Kovangiya.
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Tragically, the conflict claimed the lives of two Nigerian soldiers — an army captain and a fellow combatant — who were killed in the line of duty during the skirmish in Izge.
Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, speaking to local reporters, confirmed that the terrorists had infiltrated the village around 1 a.m., firing sporadically.
Quick intervention by the Nigerian military, supported by local hunters, vigilantes, and the Civilian Joint Task Force, helped turn the tide.
Three more militants were killed during the community-led defense effort. Additional terrorist equipment, including an operational vehicle and a high-powered rifle, was recovered in the aftermath.
The Emir commended the resilience of the local population and the combined security forces, offering prayers for the fallen soldiers and expressing solidarity with their grieving families.