Five soldiers and six terrorists died in a firefight between troops of the Nigerian Army and members of the Lakurawa terrorists in the Gudu LGA of Sokoto state.

Abubakar Abdullahi, the coordinator of the joint media coordination centre for operation Fansan Yamma, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the operation was carried out by the troops of the defence headquarters special operations brigade.

“On Jan 11, the troops of defence headquarters special operations brigade conducted a coordinated offensive operation against Lakurawa terrorists and made contact in Gudu local government area of Sokoto state,” the statement reads.

“Despite this success, the operation came at a heavy cost, as five gallant soldiers tragically lost their lives in the line of duty.”

Abdullahi added that the troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, 160 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and a box of 12.7mm ammunition during the operation.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and observant in their communities while advising them to report any suspicious activity to security agencies.

“Public cooperation is crucial for protecting lives and maintaining peace in our communities,” he added.

Gunmen have shot dead a final-year student of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osura, in the early hours of Wednesday in the Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.

The victim, identified as Prince, a Computer Science student awaiting mobilisation for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps, was killed in front of his girlfriend in his room along Abuja Street, Ikot Osurua community.

A source within the polytechnic community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the gunmen gained entry into the compound around 1 am and moved directly to the victim’s room, where they shot him in the stomach.

The source said the victim’s girlfriend immediately raised the alarm, drawing the attention of neighbours who rushed to the scene.

The victim was swiftly taken to a hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.

“The gunmen didn’t steal anything or rob anyone in the compound. They just shot him and escaped,” the source revealed.

The source further recalled seeing the victim just hours before the attack.

He added, “I met him yesterday around 4 pm with his girlfriend. They were both wearing facemasks, and we joked about their appearance. He was a popular figure in the neighbourhood and an active member of his church’s choral group. We are all in shock over his death.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Timfon John, confirmed the incident but stated that the attack might be linked to both robbery and cult activities in the area.

“Information we have indicates that there was a robbery and cult-related operation in the vicinity. The assailants invaded the area and shot the student during the robbery. An investigation is ongoing,” John said.

Over 500 farmers and their families are currently trapped in Baga town, Borno State, after fleeing violent attacks by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in northeastern Kukawa. The assaults, which took place on Sunday in Kwata Yobe and Tudun Kanta, resulted in numerous fatalities.

Abbah Gwoza, the leader of the displaced farmers in Baga, explained that the victims fled ISWAP-controlled areas following a wave of violence that disrupted a joint rescue mission involving the Nigerian Army, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local relatives who had gathered to recover the bodies of farmers killed by the militants.

ISWAP fighters from Tumbum Shanu ambushed the rescue operation. “While 43 bodies were buried, the operation had to stop due to heavy gunfire, leaving two soldiers and a CJTF member injured,” Gwoza reported.

The farmers, mostly from the Gwoza and Damargu tribes, have been cultivating crops like beans and onions in the Lake Chad Basin for over thirty years. Despite ISWAP’s control in the area, they managed to negotiate a fragile farming arrangement, where they paid a levy of ₦10,000 per hectare and donated a portion of their harvests as zakat. However, tensions flared when the farmers made a separate deal with Boko Haram’s Buduma faction for additional farmland near Baga.

ISWAP, upon discovering that the farmers had paid levies to Boko Haram, accused them of siding with rival groups. This suspicion led to a brutal assault, during which several farmers were killed, and others were injured. Survivors reported that ISWAP fighters interrogated them about their tax payments before opening fire. Some farmers’ wives were reportedly kidnapped and taken to ISWAP’s safe houses.