Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have launched a deadly attack on a Nigerian Army base in Borno State, intensifying fears over renewed militant offensives in the North-East despite official claims that the insurgency has been largely subdued.
Military sources said fighters affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province carried out the assault on an army outpost in Jakana town, along the Maiduguri–Damaturu Road in Kaga Local Government Area, early Friday, the same day they reportedly attacked a nearby community and opened fire indiscriminately.
An unconfirmed number of soldiers were said to have been killed during the coordinated attack, which involved the use of explosives and heavy gunfire. Sources disclosed that the insurgents arrived in multiple groups, making it difficult to ascertain their strength, while several troops were forced to flee into the surrounding bush during the onslaught.
A senior military source confirmed that casualties were recorded on the side of the Nigerian Army, adding that the remains of fallen soldiers were evacuated to the 7 Division Military Hospital in Maiduguri.
According to the source, the attackers set ablaze armoured tanks and other military vehicles during the raid and carted away an undisclosed quantity of ammunition, dealing a significant blow to the base’s operational capacity.
The Jakana attack comes amid a surge in insurgent activity across parts of Borno State. Only recently, several soldiers were killed when militants attacked another military base in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area, raising concerns over the security situation in the region.
Just days earlier, seven military personnel, including a newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel, were killed in an ambush along a major route in the state. Reports indicated that the officer, identified as Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed, was leading troops from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area when their convoy was ambushed by insurgents on January 26.
Read also:
- FG unveils ‘Safe Nigeria Initiative’ to tackle insecurity, train 11,000 youths across 36 states
- FG to deploy veterans to assist in battling worsening insecurity
- IPOB accuses Soludo of using Onitsha market closure to fuel insecurity
Military sources said the ambush involved the use of explosives and sustained gunfire, leaving several soldiers dead, many others seriously wounded, and some personnel still missing.
Security analysts note that since the death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, ISWAP has steadily expanded its influence around the Lake Chad axis, strengthened by the defection of fighters formerly loyal to Shekau. The group has increasingly targeted military formations, convoys, and strategic locations.
Despite these repeated attacks, the Nigerian Army has maintained that the insurgency has been largely defeated, often playing down reported casualties and losses. However, the latest incidents have renewed public concern over the resilience of insurgent groups and the safety of troops deployed in the region.
