Three civilians, including a newlywed bride, have been killed by stray bullets during a gun battle between troops and Boko Haram insurgents in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
According to reports, the terrorists launched coordinated attacks on two military locations in the early hours of Friday, 10 July 2026, in an apparent attempt to infiltrate the city.
Witnesses said the insurgents attacked a military base in Kofa at about 2:14 a.m. before launching another assault on a military position in Muna around 2:30 a.m.
Sources from both communities said the attackers arrived on motorcycles and opened fire indiscriminately. However, troops successfully repelled the assaults and prevented the insurgents from gaining access to the metropolis.
Despite the military's success, three residents were reportedly killed by stray bullets during the crossfire.
A resident of Kofa, Deborah Usman, said many people fled their homes as the gunfire intensified.
"It was during the confusion that our neighbour, a three-week-old bride, was struck by a stray bullet in the head and died instantly," she said.
In Muna, residents said two other people were killed while attempting to flee the area.
A resident, Mannanaye Muhammad, said the victims were hit when insurgents fired sporadically.
"They were trying to escape the area when the insurgents shot indiscriminately at their location. Most of us who stayed indoors were not affected, but a woman was also injured by a flying bullet inside her residence," he said.
He added that funeral prayers had been scheduled for the deceased ahead of their burial.
The latest attack comes less than 24 hours after insurgents reportedly attacked a military position in Logomani community in Ngala Local Government Area, where a soldier was killed.
Confirming Friday's attacks, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, said troops successfully repelled multiple coordinated infiltration attempts by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists across Borno State.
According to him, the terrorists attempted to infiltrate Muna Garage, Shuwari Village and the Ajilari Cross axis between 12:20 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.
He said troops detected the insurgents early and engaged them with "accurate firepower", forcing them to retreat.
The military also disclosed that additional infiltration attempts at Miringa and Dutsen Kura in Buratai were thwarted. During the pursuit of fleeing terrorists at Miringa, a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), although no casualties were recorded among the troops.
Captain Goni said clearance and exploitation operations are ongoing to track down the fleeing insurgents and prevent further threats to surrounding communities.
.jfif)
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