Boko Haram terrorists have killed the Commanding Officer of the 202 Tank Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, along with several soldiers, during a clash in the Kashimri area of Bama Local Government Area, Borno State.
The Nigerian Army confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Major Appolonia Anele.
According to the statement, troops under Operation Hadin Kai successfully foiled a planned terrorist attack but suffered casualties during the fierce encounter.
“Troops of Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI under the 21 Special Armoured Brigade on 17 October 2025 successfully foiled an attack planned by Boko Haram terrorists around the Kashimri general area of Bama Local Government Area, Borno State,” Anele said.
“However, the encounter took its toll on our side, as the Commanding Officer, 202 Tank Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, and a few other valiant soldiers paid the supreme price as they fell in battle.”
Anele added that the troops had located and destroyed several Boko Haram camps in the area, thwarting the insurgents’ plans to target civilians and disrupt socio-economic activities.
“During the operation, the troops engaged the terrorists in a fierce gunfight, neutralised several, while others fled with injuries,” she said.
She described the fallen soldiers as heroes who sacrificed their lives for the peace and stability of Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Army will continue to honour the weight of their sacrifices. Their loss reminds us of our unyielding resolve to stamp out the scourge of terrorism from our great nation,” the statement read.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, also extended condolences to the families of the deceased officers and soldiers, describing them as “fathers, brothers, and sons who showed immeasurable courage in the face of adversity.”
Oluyede reaffirmed the army’s commitment to pursuing all terrorist elements until lasting peace and stability are restored across the region and the country.
The army further appealed to the public and the media to refrain from sharing images of the fallen soldiers until their next of kin have been duly informed, in order to preserve their dignity and respect their families’ privacy.
In a related development, two soldiers were killed in May when bandits attacked Ijaha Ikobi, a community in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State. A resident, who identified himself simply as Adakole, alleged that the attackers also carted away military weapons, including two AK-47 rifles and a submachine gun.
