Insecurity: Boko Haram, ISWAP Launch Coordinated Night Attacks on Five North-East Communities

Suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters launched coordinated assaults on five communities across Borno and Yobe States late Wednesday night.

The affected areas include Mafa, Dikwa, Marte, and Ajiri in Borno State, as well as Katarko in Yobe State.

According to multiple security sources, the insurgents first targeted a military checkpoint in Mafa, where they engaged troops in a fierce gun battle. The attackers reportedly overran a nearby military base, seizing a cache of weapons, ammunition, and newly acquired operational motorcycles used for counter-insurgency patrols.

“The attackers came in overwhelming numbers no one could have imagined their strength. They carted away arms and the new motorcycles meant for field operations,” a security operative revealed.

Although the number of military casualties remains uncertain, a senior security source confirmed that several insurgents were killed during the confrontation.

“They came in waves, firing heavily, but our troops fought back and neutralized many of them,” the source added.

A local resident from Mafa disclosed that no civilian lives were lost during the assault but said the insurgents looted food supplies, burned transport vehicles, and destroyed property.

“The attack began around 11 p.m. They fired indiscriminately at the checkpoint where travelers were waiting for the gate to open. The goods they took were meant for delivery to Gambarou and other nearby areas,” the witness said.

Reports indicate the attackers arrived in four gun trucks and more than 100 motorcycles, heavily armed and well-coordinated.

Similar incidents occurred simultaneously in Marte, Dikwa, Ajiri, and Katarko, suggesting a planned offensive by the insurgent groups across multiple locations in the North-East.