No fewer than 36 soldiers and Mobile Police officers were reportedly killed after suspected Boko Haram insurgents launched coordinated attacks on two military formations in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, hometown of Governor Mai Mala Buni.
The attacks reportedly occurred around 1:00 a.m. on Friday, targeting the Theatre Training Centre in Buniyadi and the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari.
According to surviving personnel, the insurgents attacked both locations almost simultaneously, leading to prolonged gun battles between troops and the attackers.
A soldier attached to the 27 Task Force Brigade said the assault caught security operatives off guard as troops attempted to respond to distress calls from the neighbouring camp.
“My camp was attacked by Boko Haram at about 1:00 a.m. Three soldiers were killed in action at the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari while the insurgents were also attacking the neighbouring camp,” the soldier said.
He explained that both formations are located in Gujba Local Government Area, the hometown of Governor Buni, adding that the affected camps were the Theatre Training Centre in Buniyadi and the 27 Task Force Brigade in Buni Gari.
Another military source confirmed the incident, describing the night as “bloody.”
According to him, troops in Buni Gari had prepared to reinforce personnel at the Buniyadi training centre after receiving reports of the attack, but they soon came under heavy fire themselves.
He noted that the Buniyadi facility serves as a training centre for soldiers and Mobile Police officers deployed to the North-East.
While the 27 Task Force Brigade reportedly lost three soldiers, sources said casualties at the training centre were significantly higher.
Military sources disclosed that 33 personnel were killed at the Buniyadi facility, including 17 Mobile Police officers undergoing training, 10 soldiers on training duties, and six permanently deployed soldiers.
The combined death toll from both attacks currently stands at 36, according to security sources.
Videos obtained after the attacks reportedly showed the aftermath of the assault and the destruction within the affected camps.
The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the security situation in the North-East, despite repeated assurances by authorities that insurgent groups operating in the region had been largely weakened.
