The use of drones by suspected insurgents in the North-East has come under renewed scrutiny following an attack on a military formation in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, which reportedly left two soldiers dead and 13 others injured.

The attack occurred at about 6:14 p.m. on Saturday, shortly after a Borno State Government delegation, including the Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, visited the town. Security sources identified the affected personnel as members of the 101 Battalion.

According to one source, suspected insurgents were sighted around the Gudumbali Gate before disappearing shortly ahead of the explosion. The source said a drone later approached the military position and detonated, causing the casualties.

Another security source alleged that the attackers had deployed fighters to gather intelligence around the military formation before launching the strike remotely. The sources attributed the attack to suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP.

The reported use of surveillance before the drone strike raises concerns about how insurgents are gathering information on military positions and exploiting distance to carry out attacks. The incident also adds to security challenges facing troops operating in parts of Borno State.

The casualties were reported among personnel deployed around the Gudumbali Gate and other operational positions in the area. However, details about the condition of the injured soldiers and any subsequent military response were not provided in the accounts available.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Nigerian military nor the police had issued an official statement confirming the attack or the reported casualty figures. The circumstances surrounding the incident therefore remain subject to official clarification.