DAMATURU — Terrorists killed 17 police officers in a deadly attack on the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Yobe State. The assault happened in the early hours of May 8, 2026.
Force spokesperson DCP Anthony Placid confirmed the deaths on Saturday. He said the officers were undergoing counter-terrorism training when attackers struck from multiple directions at 1:15 a.m.
“The officers, who were undergoing specialised operational training, lost their lives when terrorists launched a coordinated attack on the facility from multiple directions,” Placid said in the statement.
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Several Nigerian Army personnel also died while repelling the attack. The police force did not give the total army death toll. Security agencies deployed reinforcements to secure the base after the assault.
A Painful Loss
Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu mourned the fallen officers. He described them as courageous and dedicated Nigerians who showed exceptional patriotism during their training programme.
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Meanwhile, the Yobe State Police Commissioner, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, visited the school to commiserate with army leadership. He urged surviving officers to remain resolute. “They must remain resolute in completing the training in honour of their fallen colleagues,” he said.
The police force promised to pursue those responsible. It said joint operations with the armed forces and other security agencies would continue to bring the attackers to justice.
Pattern of Attacks
Northeast Nigeria has long been a hotspot for jihadist activity. ISWAP and Boko Haram regularly target military, police, and civilian sites in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.
In addition, the attack comes days after the joint US-Nigeria strike that killed ISIS global number two al-Minuki. Security analysts say the brazen assault on a training base shows militants remain a serious threat despite recent gains.
The Nigerian military has not publicly named the group responsible for the Buni Yadi attack. Investigations are ongoing. The government has declared the fallen officers national heroes and promised to honour their families.
