Suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched coordinated attacks on two military positions in Maiduguri, Borno State, in the early hours of Friday, July 10, 2026, resulting in the deaths of three civilians from stray bullets. The victims included a three-week-old bride who was shot in the head, according to residents and military officials.
Timeline and Location of Attacks
The attacks occurred between 12:20 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. The first assault targeted a military base in the Kofa area around 2:14 a.m., while the second struck near the Customs office in Muna around 2:30 a.m. Witnesses reported that the insurgents arrived on motorcycles, firing indiscriminately as they advanced on the positions. Troops from the Joint Task Force North East, under Operation HADIN KAI, successfully repelled both infiltration attempts, preventing the attackers from breaching the bases.
Civilian Casualties and Eyewitness Accounts
Deborah Usman, a resident of Kofa, recounted the tragic incident: 'It's at that time that our neighbour, a three-week-old bride, was hit by a stray bullet on the head, and she died instantly.' At the Muna axis, resident Mannanaye Muhammad said two people were shot dead while trying to escape the area. 'They were trying to escape the area when the insurgent shot sporadically at their location. Most of us who decided to stay indoors were not affected, but a woman was also injured by a flying bullet in her residence,' he said. Funeral prayers were held for the deceased, with burials scheduled for 12 noon.
Military Response and Confirmation
Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, confirmed the attacks in an official statement on Friday. He said the terrorists attempted to push into Muna Garage, Shuwari Village, and the Ajilari Cross axis. Troops, aided by early warning systems, detected the advancing fighters and engaged them from multiple positions. 'Overwhelmed by the troops' speedy tactical manoeuvre, the terrorists were forced to abandon their mission and retreat in confusion across all axes,' Goni stated. Additional infiltration attempts were foiled at Miringa and Dutsen Kura in Buratai. During a pursuit of fleeing terrorists at Miringa, a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle triggered an Improvised Explosive Device, but no troop casualties were recorded. Clearance and exploitation operations were ongoing to prevent further threats to surrounding communities.
Broader Security Context
This attack follows a recent assault by suspected ISWAP fighters on a military Forward Operating Base in Logomani, Ngala LGA, Borno State, late Tuesday night, which killed one soldier. The attackers burned a police outpost, a primary healthcare centre, and two classrooms after a firefight. Meanwhile, farmers in northern Borno face a devastating ban on cultivation this season, enforced by ISWAP and JAS militants through threats of violence. More than 100 farmers have relocated to Kumalia in search of land, fuelling a wider food security crisis across Nigeria.
