Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) claimed on Monday that it had captured and executed Brigadier General M. Uba during a patrol in Wajiroko, Borno State. The announcement was made through the group’s Al Amaq news agency. The Nigerian Army has strongly denied the claim, stating on social media that reports of Gen. Uba’s abduction were “fake” and labeled the militant statement an “outright lie.”
ISWAP, an offshoot of Boko Haram, has resurged in recent years, frequently targeting military positions. According to security reports and the Associated Press, the group has overrun Nigerian military outposts at least 15 times in 2025, killing soldiers and seizing weapons. Notable attacks this year include assaults on Gajibo, Buni Gari, Marte, Izge, Rann, Malam Fatori, Goniri, Sabon Gari, Wajiroko, and Monguno. ISWAP also struck Nigeria-Cameroon joint bases in Wulgo and Soueram.
The other faction, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), has increasingly targeted civilians and carried out kidnappings for ransom, further complicating security in the region. Wassim Nasr, a Sahel specialist at the Soufan Centre, described the ISWAP claim as a reminder that “the war is still raging” and that the Nigerian military continues to dedicate significant resources to combat the insurgency. Nigeria has struggled for over a decade to suppress Boko Haram and ISWAP. Military operations, including airstrikes and special forces raids, have targeted militant hideouts, but at times mistakenly struck civilian areas, exacerbating local tensions. The ongoing attacks underscore the persistent security challenges in Borno and northeastern Nigeria, where armed groups exploit porous borders and local grievances to sustain their operations.
