The Nigerian Army has confirmed the death of four soldiers following a coordinated insurgent attack on its Super Camp at Ngamdu along the Damaturu–Maiduguri highway.
In a statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of Operation HADIN KAI, the Army said troops repelled the assault after intense gunfire with the terrorists. Earlier reports had suggested eight fatalities, but the Army officially confirmed four.
According to the statement, the insurgents launched the attack using rocket-propelled grenades, armed drones, and improvised explosive devices. Despite sustaining equipment damage and five soldiers wounded, troops reportedly inflicted heavy losses on the assailants, who buried about 15 of their dead near Bula Wura, Wasaram.
“The terrorists attempted to block reinforcements by planting multiple IEDs along the Ngamdu–Damaturu route. Engineers swiftly cleared the explosives, reopening the highway to civilian and military movement,” the statement read.
The Army said it has reinforced the area with logistics and launched patrol operations to deny the terrorists freedom of action. It added that the road is now safe for travel.
Meanwhile, travellers on the Maiduguri–Damaturu–Kano highway were stranded for over seven hours as troops temporarily closed the route for clearance operations. The closure caused heavy gridlock and disrupted journeys for commuters heading to northern cities.
A University of Maiduguri student, Mustapha Yaya, said he missed his lectures due to the delay. Another driver, Abdullahi from Kano, said his passengers cancelled their trip after hours of waiting.
The road, previously secure for more than three years, has now drawn renewed security concerns. Some travellers appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sustain protection along the highway.
