Nigerian troops say they have discovered a mass grave containing about 20 bodies during military operations in Borno State in the country’s north-east.
The army said the discovery was made by soldiers of Operation Hadin Kai in the Timbuktu Triangle, a remote area that has long been a stronghold of Islamist insurgents.
In a statement, the military’s Theatre Command spokesman, Lt Col Sani Uba, said the bodies were believed to be those of suspected militants killed in recent clashes with troops and later buried by their colleagues.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“This discovery exposes the scale of terrorist casualties,” he said, adding that it undermined what he described as insurgent propaganda.
Ongoing Operations
According to the military, troops have cleared and taken control of several locations across the Timbuktu Triangle, including Tergejeri and Chiralia, as part of the latest phase of operations.
Lt Col Uba said soldiers encountered fighters attempting to flee the area, leading to further exchanges of fire.
He added that on 20 January troops consolidating positions north of Chiralia came across two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices. One of them was successfully neutralised.
Losses Reported
The army confirmed that some soldiers and members of the civilian joint task force were killed during the operations, while others were wounded.
Those injured were evacuated by military helicopters to a divisional medical facility, with air force aircraft providing cover during the operation, the statement said.
Despite the losses, Lt Col Uba said security across the area remained stable and that operations were continuing.
Long-running Conflict
Nigeria’s north-east has been at the centre of an Islamist insurgency for more than a decade, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.
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The military’s account of the mass grave could not be independently verified. In the past, rights groups have accused Nigerian security forces of abuses during counter-insurgency operations — allegations the army has repeatedly denied.
No independent monitoring groups have yet commented on this latest discovery.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
