By Abdulsamad Abdulmalik
Nigerian troops have repelled an overnight attack by suspected jihadists on a military post on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, in what authorities describe as the first such attempt in years targeting the city.
Security sources and residents said fighters believed to be from Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) carried out the assault.
Confirming the development, Borno State Police spokesman Nahum Kenneth Daso said reports indicated a foiled attack by suspected BH/ISWAP terrorists around Ajilari Cross, on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Daso also disclosed that security forces thwarted another suspected terrorist attack in Damboa Local Government Area, south of Maiduguri.
Insurgent groups have recently intensified attacks on military bases in northeastern Nigeria, as part of their long-running campaign to establish a caliphate in the region.
The conflict, which has lasted for about 16 years, has reportedly claimed more than 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people across the region.
