According to the report, the plan is designed to lure the soldiers into an ambush where they will be killed and their weapons seized.
According to the statement, the suspects are currently undergoing further investigation.
The report said that mortar and artillery support enabled the troops to repel the attack.
This is Nigeria’s sixth appearance on the list since 2016. It ranked fifth in 2016, 10th in 2017, eighth in 2019, sixth in 2020, and eighth in 2021.
The military said its precision airstrike around Kirta and Arina Ciki killed several terrorist commanders, including Khalifa Umar, a member of the ISWAP Shura Council.
The presidential spokesperson said security officials have now clarified that the earlier listing was a misattribution.
“Military operations are dynamic, intelligence-driven, and often evolve rapidly,” said The Nigerian Advocates for Peace and Stability.
Nigeria ranked fourth in the Global Terrorism Index released on March 19, 2026.
“The federal government reiterates that this was a deliberate, intelligence-led operation, not an indiscriminate attack,” said the information minister.
The terrorists reportedly stormed the military base in the early hours of Monday, burnt down the base, and carted away ammunition cartels.
