Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff has visited troops stationed in the country’s northeast following a deadly jihadist attack that killed 15 soldiers and five members of a local anti-insurgency militia in Borno State. The visit comes amid renewed violence in a region battling an insurgency that has lasted more than 17 years and left thousands dead and millions displaced. The attack occurred overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, when suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters stormed a military base in Mairari village, near the Lake Chad area. According to military and local sources, the militants overpowered the troops after a prolonged battle, looted weapons and equipment, and set the base and several vehicles ablaze.
A Nigerian military officer said the attack forced surviving troops to withdraw towards Monguno, a nearby garrison town. Several soldiers were also reported missing, raising concerns that they may have been captured. Residents said the attackers remained at the base until daybreak after carrying away valuables and destroying equipment. The military has not publicly confirmed all the details of the incident. Borno State remains at the center of Nigeria’s long-running insurgency, which began in 2009 with Boko Haram and later expanded with the emergence of ISWAP, a group affiliated with the Islamic State organization.
The latest attack follows another deadly assault on a military outpost in neighboring Kukawa, where around two dozen militants and soldiers were reportedly killed last week. The renewed attacks highlight the continuing security challenges facing Nigerian forces despite years of military operations against the insurgents. According to the United Nations, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across the Lake Chad region. The Army Chief’s visit underscores the pressure on Nigeria’s military to strengthen troop protection, recover lost equipment and prevent further attacks on security positions in the northeast.
