BORNO: DHQ confirms six soldiers killed in ISWAP raid

Two military officers reported that, ISWAP fighters launched a pre-dawn attack on Sunday, using trucks and motorcycles, targeting the base in Sabon Gari, located in the Damboa district of Borno State.

The insurgents set fire to the base and army vehicles. An officer quoted by AFP stated, “We lost six soldiers in the ISWAP attack after an intense gun battle.”

Fighter jets were dispatched from Maiduguri, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) away, and engaged the attackers as they retreated.

In a statement released today, the DHQ reported that while 34 terrorists were killed and 23 AK-47 rifles were recovered, six of its personnel lost their lives in action.

The DHQ also mentioned the recovery of over 200 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

The statement detailed, “On January 4, 2025, a group of ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists on motorcycles and gun trucks engaged troops stationed in Sabon Gari Village of Damboa Local Government Area in a firefight. The terrorists attempted to catch the troops off guard as retaliation for the recent killing of their commander and fighters.”

The troops were able to thwart the planned attack as they were returning to base. Reinforcements, which included members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilantes, quickly arrived to overpower the terrorists.

The statement continued, “Although the reinforcement team encountered an improvised explosive device that injured the Vigilante Commander, they arrived in time to eliminate the fleeing terrorists. The air component of Operation HADIN KAI also conducted airstrikes on the retreating insurgents, with damage assessments indicating several terrorists were killed and weapons were recovered.”

Overall, the DHQ confirmed that 34 terrorists were killed and 23 AK-47 rifles were seized, along with over 200 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. Unfortunately, six soldiers were killed in action.

The names of the fallen personnel are being withheld to allow for proper notification of their next of kin, and the media is requested to respect this process.

The Armed Forces reiterated their commitment to combating insurgency and terrorism in the country, emphasizing their dedication to defeating the terrorists.

Since 2009, northern Nigeria has been afflicted by various jihadist groups, including Boko Haram and ISWAP, as well as armed criminal gangs. This conflict has resulted in over 40,000 deaths and displaced around two million people in the northeast.

In November, five Nigerian soldiers were killed and ten others injured during an ISWAP raid on a base in Kareto village, near the Niger border.