Nigerian Troops Repel Maiduguri Attack as Boko Haram Demands N3.5bn Ransom for Kwara Hostages
Security forces in Borno State successfully repelled an infiltration attempt by insurgents in the first attack on Maiduguri in years, while Boko Haram is demanding N3.52 billion for 176 kidnapped residents of Kwara State.
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Nigerian military forces repelled an infiltration attempt by insurgents at Ajilari Cross in Maiduguri, Borno State, marking the first attack on the northeastern city in years as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) intensify operations across the region.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. on Sunday, with residents reporting sporadic gunshots across the neighbourhood, according to Channels Television. The successful repulsion of the attack represents a significant defensive operation for troops stationed in the Borno State capital, which has experienced relative calm in recent years despite ongoing insurgent activity in surrounding areas.
Vanguard News reported that fighters from both Boko Haram and ISWAP have recently stepped up attacks on military bases in northeast Nigeria, indicating a renewed operational tempo by the insurgent groups. The rival factions, which split in 2016, have maintained separate campaigns against Nigerian security forces and civilian targets across Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.
Meanwhile, in a separate development highlighting the expanding geographical reach of terrorist operations, Boko Haram is demanding N3.52 billion for the release of 176 residents kidnapped from Woro community in Kwara State, Sahara Reporters revealed. Sources familiar with the negotiations told the publication that the silence from authorities in recent weeks is linked to ongoing but unsuccessful negotiations between government representatives and the terrorists.
The Kwara kidnapping represents a significant escalation in both the scale of abductions and the ransom amounts being demanded by insurgent groups. The stalled negotiations underscore the challenges facing Nigerian authorities in securing the release of hostages while avoiding establishing precedents that could encourage further mass abductions.
The dual security challenges—direct military confrontations in the northeast and large-scale kidnappings extending into north-central states—illustrate the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram and affiliated groups despite military operations spanning over a decade. The Nigerian military has not issued an official statement on either the Maiduguri attack or the Kwara hostage situation.