*Obi: Over 1,000 Nigerians killed this year
*Kidnapped Ondo youth found dead in Edo forest, community demands justice
Chuks Okocha, Linus Aleke in Abuja and Fidelis David in Akure
Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai, have repelled a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on military positions in Borno State, killing several insurgents and recovering a cache of weapons and equipment.
The attacks, attributed to fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), targeted Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) at Mayanti, Gajigana and Gajiram between the late hours of 28 February and the early hours of 1 March 2026.
Confirming the development in a statement, the Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the failed assaults reflected mounting pressure on the terrorists’ enclaves, supply routes and leadership structures as troops sustain aggressive offensive operations across Sector 2.
According to him, the attack on Gajigana was swiftly repelled, with troops maintaining full control of the base.
At Mayanti and Gajiram, however, the encounters resulted in significant enemy casualties and the recovery of assorted arms and ammunition.
He explained that on Saturday, February 28, a large number of insurgents launched a heavy assault on FOB Mayanti.
Despite intense gunfire, troops held their ground while reinforcements navigated ambushes and improvised explosive device (IED) threats to dislodge the attackers.
After the engagement, five terrorist bodies were recovered, alongside three PKT anti-aircraft guns, two RPG-7 launchers, four AK-47 rifles, two FN rifles, three RPG bombs and large quantities of 7.62mm ammunition.
Blood trails at the scene suggested additional casualties. One officer was, however, killed in action.
In a separate incident at about 1.15 a.m. on 1 March, insurgents armed with PKT guns, rocket-propelled grenades and weaponised drones attacked FOB Gajiram.
The troops, supported by air assets, repelled the assault. Three corpses of terrorists were recovered along the withdrawal route, in addition to four AK-47 rifles, five anti-tank bombs, three locally fabricated mortar bombs, one armed drone, six fully loaded 7.62mm NATO magazines, barbed wire cutters, specialised ammunition and other abandoned items.
A wounded soldier was airlifted by a Nigerian Army Aviation helicopter for advanced medical treatment.
Meanwhile, in follow-up offensive operations within Sector 2, troops engaged fleeing insurgents at Kayawa Village, forcing them to abandon a tricycle, three motorcycles and five bicycles.
Soldiers also destroyed identified logistics hubs and arrested two suspected ISWAP logistics suppliers.
Drugs and medical supplies believed to have been used to treat wounded terrorists were recovered.
In a related ambush around Bulturam Corner and Dadingel in Gujba Local Government Area, troops neutralised two insurgents and seized two AK-47 rifles, four AK-47 magazines and a bicycle.
All affected locations, the military said, remained firmly under its control, adding that the scale of casualties and recovered equipment highlighted the continuing degradation of ISWAP’s operational capacity in the North-East.
Obi: Over 1,000 Nigerians Killed This Year
Presidential hopeful, Mr. Peter Obi, has alleged that more than 1,000 Nigerians were killed and thousands more abducted between January and February of 2026.
Obi made the claim on X yesterday, saying the scale of violence across the country was worse than that of nations officially at war.
He criticised what he described as the “politics of zero humanity” in the country, accusing political leaders of prioritising 2027 election calculations over the safety of Nigerians.
“It is profoundly disturbing that while we, the politicians, continue to obsess over the 2027 elections—spending our energy scheming about how to capture, grab, and run the next election—the first two months of 2026 have reportedly seen the killing of over 1,000 Nigerians and the abduction of several thousand others.
“This is the painful reality confronting our nation. From Zamfara State to Kwara, Ondo, Kebbi, Edo, Benue, Adamawa, Plateau, and many other states, families have buried loved ones, and communities have been emptied by gunshots and fear.”
He alleged that more than 25 states across the country had been affected by attacks carried out by bandits and other terrorist groups, lamenting that the crisis had yet to receive the necessary attention from the relevant authorities.
“In over 25 states across all geopolitical zones this year alone, there have been major violent attacks on innocent citizens, kidnappings by armed bandits, mass shootings, village invasions, and brazen assaults on worshippers and travellers.
“The scale of bloodshed and the number of deaths in just two months in Nigeria are even worse than what we see in countries officially at war.
“Yet the urgency with which we discuss these tragedies does not match the urgency of our discussions surrounding zoning formulas, party structures, and campaign strategies,” he stated.
The former Anambra governor noted that while leaders were engrossed in debates about power sharing, Nigerians were busy sharing funeral programmes.
He emphasised the need for authorities to elevate human life to what he described as “sacred status in our national priorities”, cautioning that leadership was not about winning elections but saving lives.
“We debate power sharing while citizens are sharing funeral programmes. I watched in tears yesterday as families in the Doruwa Babuje community in Plateau State buried their dead after attacks by armed terrorists.
“But our media and leaders were focused on discussions about party issues and the 2027 elections, when we aren’t even sure we will be alive to see it, given all the deaths happening in our country today.
“We strategise about 2027 while Nigerians struggle to survive 2026. This is inhumane. We must elevate human life to a sacred status in our national priorities.
“Leadership is not about winning elections; it is about saving lives. We can, and we must, aspire to a Nigeria devoid of bloodshed — a Nigeria where governance is measured not by political dominance but by the safety and dignity of its people.
“History will not remember how many strategies we perfected for 2027; it will remember whether we acted when Nigerians were dying. We must choose Nigerian lives over politics. We must put Nigerians first.” Obi added.
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