Breaking…Many soldiers feared killed as ISWAP militants attack military base in Borno

Several Nigerian soldiers have reportedly lost their lives following a deadly assault by militants linked to the Islamic State-backed faction of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Borno State.

According to military sources, the attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday when heavily armed insurgents stormed a forward operating base at Banki Junction along the Bama–Gwoza road. The attackers reportedly opened fire on troops stationed at the facility, triggering a fierce gun battle.

According to the sources, the attackers fired sporadically at the base, resulting in heavy casualties among personnel, including a Major identified as U.I. Mairiga. The insurgents reportedly operated in multiple groups, making it difficult to determine their exact number.

Some soldiers were said to have been killed during the assault, while others reportedly fled into nearby bushes as the gunmen overwhelmed the position.

A military source said the bodies of the deceased personnel were being evacuated to the 7 Division Military Hospital in Maiduguri.

The latest attack comes weeks after another deadly assault on a military formation in Jakana, located in Kaga Local Government Area of the state, where insurgents destroyed armoured tanks and military vehicles and carted away large quantities of ammunition.

Earlier incidents also included an ambush in which seven soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel, were killed while travelling from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area. The attackers reportedly used explosives and heavy gunfire, leaving several troops injured and others missing.

Security analysts say the growing activities of ISWAP have intensified since the death of former Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, with the group consolidating control in communities around the Lake Chad basin following the defection of hundreds of fighters.