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Boko Haram Kills Nigerian Army Commander, Two Senior Officers, 17 Soldiers in Borno Attack

Published by Tope Fakinlede on January 26th, 2025.

Boko Haram Kills Nigerian Army Commander, Two Senior Officers, 17 Soldiers in Borno Attack

Boko Haram militants have killed more than 20 Nigerian soldiers, with several others still unaccounted for, following an assault on a military base in Borno State.

On Friday, January 24, 2025, the insurgents targeted the 149 Battalion in Malam-Fatori, located in Abadam Local Government Area, which is a key border town between Nigeria and Niger. Malam-Fatori also hosts thousands of people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

According to sources, the militants launched the attack using multiple gun trucks and set fire to several buildings and military vehicles stationed at the base. In addition to the confirmed fatalities, numerous soldiers were wounded, and a significant number of personnel remain missing as of Saturday.

The commanding officer of the battalion, along with two senior officers, including the base’s medical director, were reported dead in the assault.

This deadly attack comes shortly after a separate assault on a military Forward Operating Base in Damboa Local Government Area, where Boko Haram also inflicted casualties, and many soldiers were believed to be missing.

Sources revealed that the military camp at Sabon Gari was ambushed on the early morning of January 20, with heavy weaponry used by the attackers. The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) later claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing images of fighters shooting towards the military installation.

Since the death of Boko Haram’s former leader Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has strengthened its presence in regions surrounding Lake Chad, absorbing many former Boko Haram militants into its ranks.

Despite the Nigerian Army’s assertions that the insurgency is largely defeated, attacks continue to devastate the region, contributing to the displacement of millions and over 100,000 deaths in the northeast.