Boko Haram Attack Foiled in Borno, Army Loses Commanding Officer and Soldiers

Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI, have thwarted a planned attack by Boko Haram terrorists in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, the Nigerian Army confirmed on Monday.

The operation, which took place on 17 October 2025, was conducted by troops of the 21 Special Armoured Brigade, who reportedly engaged the insurgents in a fierce gun battle around the Kashimri general area.

In a statement signed by Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director of Army Public Relations, the Army said the troops successfully located and destroyed several Boko Haram camps, frustrating plans to attack civilians and disrupt economic activities in the region.

“During the encounter, several terrorists were neutralized while others sustained injuries,” the statement noted.

However, the operation also claimed the lives of some soldiers, including the Commanding Officer of 202 Tank Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, who was described as a brave and dedicated officer.

“The Commanding Officer and a few other valiant soldiers paid the supreme price as they fell in battle,” the statement said. “These heroes fought for the peace of our great nation, and their legacies shall endure forever.”

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, extended his condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, describing them as fathers, brothers, and sons who displayed “immeasurable courage by taking the last stand in the face of adversity.”

Oluyede reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to relentlessly pursue terrorist elements until peace and normalcy are fully restored across the Northeast and the country at large.

Meanwhile, the Army urged members of the public and media to avoid circulating images of fallen personnel, stressing that such restraint would preserve their dignity and protect the privacy of their families until their next of kin are formally notified.