We lost commanding officer, six others – Military 

The Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have confirmed the death of a commanding officer and six soldiers following an attack on troops in Monguno, Borno State.

The confirmation was contained in a statement issued on Monday by Sani Uba, spokesman of Operation Hadin Kai, the Joint Task Force in the North-East.

BusinessDay had earlier reported the incident, including the killing of the senior officer and his men.

According to the statement, troops of Sector 3 under Operation Hadin Kai came under what was described as an isolated infiltration attack by suspected terrorists at a military position known as ‘Charlie 13′ in Monguno late on April 12, 2026.

The army said troops engaged the attackers in a firefight, forcing them to retreat while maintaining control of the location.

However, the commanding officer and six other personnel were killed during the incident.

The statement explained that the officer died after his vehicle struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while he was moving to assess the situation at the frontline.

“Regrettably, the Commanding Officer, while courageously proceeding to the troops’ location to personally assess the situation, encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) which severely affected his vehicle, leading to his death alongside 6 other gallant personnel.

“The terrorists were put to flight following intense fire exchanges, with troops retaining control of the location,’ the statement said.

It added that the late officer was on his way to the troops’ position when the explosion occurred, resulting in his death and that of six soldiers.

Operation Hadin Kai expressed condolences over the loss and said the deceased personnel were committed members of the Armed Forces.

The military added that the incident would not deter ongoing operations against insurgent groups in the North-East.