Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled a midnight attack by suspected insurgents in Kukareta, Yobe State, killing 24 of them in a fierce gun battle.

The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday, lasted for about three hours as the assailants attempted to overrun a military formation in the area.

The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Thursday.

He said the troops responded swiftly to the attack, which started shortly after midnight and lasted until about 3am.

"Troops of Operation Hadin Kai under Sector 2 successfully repelled a determined terrorist attack on the Kukareta location," he said.

Uba added that the troops mounted a coordinated offensive and defensive response, forcing the attackers to retreat in disarray.

According to him, 24 insurgents were killed during the encounter, while troops also recovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition.

Items recovered include 18 AK-47 rifles, three general-purpose machine guns, two PKT anti-aircraft guns, three rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) tubes, two mortar tubes, four hand grenades, and 18 AK-47 magazines, among others.

He said two soldiers sustained injuries during the exchange of fire but have since been stabilised, while an armoured vehicle was damaged.