Borno State has been rocked by a wave of Boko Haram attacks that has left at least 40 people dead and several others injured.
The violence, which unfolded over less than 24 hours, saw civilians falling victim to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and gunfire in various parts of the state, including Kalabalge, Damboa, and Kwaple.
On Monday afternoon, an IED detonated along the Kala-Balge road, targeting a group of 26 travellers.
The spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, who spoke with Punch, revealed that the explosion resulted in the tragic deaths of 26 people, including 16 men, four women, and six children.
The victims were traveling to Gamboru Ngala in Borno State when they encountered the deadly device, which was likely planted by the insurgents.
“The tragic incident led to the death of 26 persons, which includes 16 males, four females, and six children,” said Daso, confirming that the injured were immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.
Just hours later, around 7 pm on the same day, Boko Haram insurgents attacked a funeral gathering in Kwaple, a village near Chibok, shooting and killing about 15 mourners.
The assailants arrived on motorcycles and carried out a coordinated assault that lasted nearly an hour. Despite the violence unfolding in the area, security forces did not intervene during the attack.
“The terrorists attacked during a funeral, a lot of people were killed,” confirmed the Chairman of the Chibok Local Government Area, Modu Mustapha.
A local source, speaking anonymously, added, “It was a horrific experience, and the attackers burnt a church and five houses while also kidnapping several people. The community is in shock.”
The latest attacks come on the heels of an alarming statement by Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, who had previously raised concerns over the growing insecurity in the state.
In a recent meeting, Zulum warned that the state’s security situation had worsened, with terrorist activities becoming increasingly frequent and brazen.
“It is unfortunate that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities are almost on a daily basis without confrontation,” Zulum said.
He urged the federal government to intensify efforts in combating the insurgency, calling for more resources and technological support to strengthen military operations.
Governor Zulum’s senior technical assistant, Abdulrahman Bundi, reiterated the governor’s concerns, emphasizing that the state was working closely with federal agencies to address the growing threat.
He confirmed that local vigilantes and civilian joint task forces had been provided with new equipment to assist in the fight against insurgents.
“The governor has been working with the Federal Government, providing support to security agencies with intelligence and resources. “We need every possible resource to ensure peace is restored in Borno,” Bundi said.
Army Chief Expresses Commitment To Enhancing Military Capacity
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, reiterated the army’s commitment to strengthening the troops’ capacity to combat insurgency.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Combat Arms Training Week in Bauchi, Oluyede assured the public that the Nigerian Army is focused on improving its operational effectiveness in tackling the insurgency.
Oluyede said, “This will be done by infusing necessary capabilities into our training schedules to better prepare them to adapt to dynamic situations and position us more effectively to counter threats to national security.”
He emphasised that success in this regard hinged on providing timely logistics and prioritizing troop welfare.
The Army chief added that the Nigerian Army would continue to improve strategic communications, bridge capability gaps, sustain innovative leadership and leverage support from the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies.
Oluyede pledged the Army’s commitment to mitigating security challenges across the country, stating that it would continue to adopt new methods aligned with international best practices to strengthen operational capacity and fulfill constitutional responsibilities.
He added that the Combat Arms Training Week was more than a doctrinal exercise, describing it as a critical platform for improving operational effectiveness in conflict zones, particularly in the North East and North West.
“The lessons learned from the field, along with inter-corps collaboration fostered through this training week, will directly translate into more coordinated and impactful operations,” Oluyede said.
Also speaking at the event, Commander of the Armoured Corps, Major General Obinna Ajunwa, noted that this year’s training themed, ‘Strengthening Combat Arms Cooperation in a Joint Environment: A Prerequisite for Success in Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Operations’, would provide a forum to address critical issues facing the combat arms and the Nigerian Army as a whole.
The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, represented by his deputy, Auwal Jatau, stressed the need for both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, insurgency, and communal unrest.
“The current security challenges are complex and dynamic. “They demand multidimensional strategies and stronger synergy among security stakeholders,” the governor said.
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