NIGERIA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —The country Nigeria has fought jihadist insurgents in its north-east since 2009.
- —What happened Army says ISWAP attacked troops in Kukawa, Borno State, from four sides.
- —The numbers Army says over 25 militants killed and 14 bodies recovered.
- —The cost Some soldiers were killed; the army has not said how many.
- —What it means for you The US rates Borno Level 4, Do Not Travel.
- —Still open Soldier death toll, exact timing and independent casualty figures.
Troops in Kukawa, northern Borno, held off an assault from four directions, the army says, but lost an undisclosed number of soldiers.
Nigeria’s army says troops repelled an ISWAP attack in Borno State, on a military base in the northern town of Kukawa. It says more than 25 militants were killed, while an undisclosed number of soldiers also died.
Kukawa lies in the Lake Chad basin, where Nigeria borders Niger, Chad and Cameroon. ISWAP, short for Islamic State West Africa Province, is a US-designated terrorist group and the Islamic State affiliate there.
The statement came on Wednesday, 7 October, from Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s joint task force for north-east Nigeria. Daily Trust, TheCable and the Nigerian Tribune carried it on Wednesday and overnight.
What the Army Statement Says
Captain Mohammed Goni, the task force’s acting military information officer, signed the statement. He said fighters attacked troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion in large numbers from four flanks.
According to Goni, soldiers answered with superior firepower and tactical manoeuvres, backed by the Air Component, the task force’s air arm. He said the surviving attackers fled in disarray.
“Preliminary assessment indicates that over 25 terrorists were neutralised, with 14 bodies recovered so far,” Goni said, as quoted by Daily Trust. Neutralised is the Nigerian military’s standard term for killed.
Troops recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including six AK-47 rifles, the statement said. Operations to track fleeing fighters and recover more weapons were continuing, it added.
The army did not say how many soldiers died. “Regrettably, some gallant soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice during the encounter,” the statement read, extending condolences to their families.
When and Where It Happened
The army statement gave no date or time for the ISWAP attack in Borno. Daily Post cited security sources speaking to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency analyst who follows the Lake Chad region.
Those sources said the assault lasted from 9:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 6 October. They also said a brigade commander later visited to reposition troops and replenish personnel and equipment.
Daily Trust reported that the attackers targeted the headquarters town of Kukawa local government area. Residents told the paper that heavy gunfire caused panic until two Nigerian Air Force jets arrived.
Daily Trust described the attackers as Boko Haram, while the army statement, as reported by other outlets, named ISWAP. The two groups share roots but have operated separately since a 2016 split.
A Base Attacked Before
The same battalion in Kukawa was attacked on Friday, 28 August, at about 10:50 p.m., the task force said at the time. Goni then put the attackers’ losses at about 26 and said four personnel were wounded.
On Saturday, 11 July, troops of 19 Brigade repelled an attack at Cross Kauwa, also in Kukawa local government area. Two soldiers were wounded in that clash.
The latest attack came as local officials promote the return of displaced families. Kukawa council chairman Mustapha Muhammad told the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday that at least five communities had been resettled.
He said farming, schools and fishing were resuming, but travel between some communities still required military escorts. Attacks on major routes, including Mairari to Cross Kauwa and Doro, had fallen significantly, he said.
Who Is ISWAP
ISWAP is the West African branch of the Islamic State, the jihadist movement that rose in Iraq and Syria. It emerged from a 2016 split within Boko Haram and operates mainly around Lake Chad and northern Borno.
The US State Department designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization, under the name ISIS-West Africa, on 28 February 2018. Boko Haram received the same designation on 14 November 2013.
Operation Hadin Kai is the Nigerian military’s joint task force against jihadist groups in the north-east. Its information officers, including Goni, issue the official accounts of clashes such as the Kukawa attacks.
What It Means for US Readers
The US State Department rates Nigeria Level 3, Reconsider Travel, in an advisory issued on Friday, 12 June 2026. Borno is Level 4, Do Not Travel, citing terrorism, crime and kidnapping.
Washington is also a security partner of Nigeria’s armed forces. A State Department fact sheet lists up to 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft sold to Nigeria for US$497 million.
The fact sheet says the aircraft are meant for operations against Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa. The army statement did not say which aircraft supported the troops in Kukawa.
Because ISWAP is a designated group, giving it money or other material support is a federal crime under US law. That matters for US charities, firms and donors with operations in north-east Nigeria.
What Is Not Known
The army has not said how many soldiers were killed or wounded. The figure of over 25 militants is a preliminary army estimate, with 14 bodies recovered when it spoke.
The Tuesday-night timing comes from unnamed security sources, not the statement. No ISWAP claim and no independent check of the figures was available when this article was written.
The statement did not mention civilian casualties or damage in Kukawa town.
What Comes Next
The task force says pursuit and recovery operations are continuing after the ISWAP attack in Borno. Updated figures may appear in a later army statement or a Defence Headquarters operations briefing.
A repelled attack does not mean the area is secure. The council chairman said some roads still need military escorts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kukawa?
Kukawa is a town and local government area in northern Borno State, north-east Nigeria. It lies in the Lake Chad basin.
What is ISWAP?
ISWAP, or Islamic State West Africa Province, is the Islamic State affiliate in the Lake Chad region. The US lists it as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under the name ISIS-West Africa.
How many soldiers died?
The army has not given a number. It said only that some soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice during the encounter.
Who confirmed the figures?
The figures come from Captain Mohammed Goni of Operation Hadin Kai, the army’s north-east task force. They have not been independently verified.
Can Americans travel to Borno?
The US State Department advises against all travel to Borno, rating it Level 4, Do Not Travel. It cites terrorism, crime and kidnapping.
Sources: Operation Hadin Kai statement, as published by Daily Trust; TheCable; Nigerian Tribune / News Agency of Nigeria; P.M. News; Daily Post; News Agency of Nigeria (28 August attack); Voice of Nigeria (July attack); Nigerian Tribune (Kukawa resettlement); US State Department, Foreign Terrorist Organizations; US State Department, security cooperation with Nigeria; US State Department, Nigeria travel advisory (all accessed 8 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief