Students were killed when soldiers foiled an ISWAP attack on a polytechnic

An attempted attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on the Federal Polytechnic, Monguno, Borno State, has been foiled by troops of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) who stopped the mass abduction of 46 students.

The attempted attack occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, according to OPHK’s Acting Media Information Officer, Captain Mohammed Goni.

He revealed that several students died after being hit by sporadic gunfire from terrorists during a shootout.

Goni conveyed the condolences of the Theater Command to the families of the deceased and assured residents that the troops, in collaboration with the Borno State Government and other security agencies, were taking all necessary measures to protect lives and secure critical public institutions in the North East.

He said the students were in a temporary hostel at the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), which is currently being used by the Borno State Government to house students of the Borno State Polytechnic, Monguno, when the terrorists attacked.

Goni said the terrorists reportedly gained access to the institution with the help of suspected collaborators and attempted to kidnap the students.

He said alert security personnel engaged the attackers with coordinated and powerful firepower, while the Sector 3 Quick Reaction Force (QRF) quickly reinforced the institution, forcing the terrorists to retreat.

“Faced with superior combat capabilities and stiff resistance from security forces, the terrorists were forced to abandon their criminal mission and flee in confusion without achieving their objectives,” Goni said.

He added that although some of the school infrastructure was damaged due to the gunfire, the situation was quickly brought under control through the combined efforts of troops and personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

Following the operation, Goni said troops managed to rescue and evacuate all 46 students to Kinnasara Barracks in Monguno, where they received immediate medical treatment.

“All the rescued students have been confirmed to be medically stable, and no students were kidnapped,” he said.

He said efforts were underway to identify and arrest suspected collaborators who allegedly helped the attackers, while troops continued to pursue the fleeing terrorists.

“Operation HADIN KAI remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining relentless pressure on terrorist elements, denying them freedom of action, eliminating their operational capabilities, and ensuring that educational institutions and other critical infrastructure in the North East remain safe and protected,” he added.