Manny Ita
At least 25 civilians and 11 security personnel were killed in a series of insurgent attacks across Borno State on Thursday, January 29, 2026. The coordinated assaults targeted both a civilian construction site and a military installation, highlighting persistent security gaps despite recent government claims of military progress in the Northeast. In the deadliest incident, suspected Boko Haram militants stormed the town of Sabon Gari, opening fire on a group of laborers who had traveled from nearby communities for work. Relatives of the victims, including Hassan Usman and Auwal Isa, confirmed to reporters that at least 25 civilians died in the shooting. The attackers reportedly arrived in the early morning hours, firing indiscriminately before fleeing the scene, causing many local families to abandon the area in fear of further violence.
In a separate pre-dawn raid on the same day, militants targeted a military base elsewhere in the state, leading to a prolonged gun battle. Security sources confirmed that the assault resulted in the deaths of nine soldiers and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), while 16 others sustained various degrees of injuries before the military was able to repel the insurgents. Senator Aliyu Ndume, representing Borno South, expressed profound concern over the latest wave of violence. The lawmaker stated he was “shocked and saddened” by the loss of lives, describing the events as a painful reminder of the human cost of the conflict. Ndume emphasized the urgent need for “stronger protection for vulnerable communities and improved intelligence gathering” to prevent such rural communities from remaining exposed to violent assaults.
The resurgence of high-casualty attacks comes at a time of increased international attention on Nigeria’s internal security. Following accusations by the U.S. administration last year regarding the protection of vulnerable populations, U.S. forces conducted air strikes against designated terrorist targets on December 25. While Nigerian authorities maintain they are collaborating with Washington and other global partners to enhance military capacity and intelligence sharing, the latest incidents in Borno underscore the continued vulnerability of both the civilian population and the security forces stationed in the region.
