Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants have reportedly seized complete control of the Marte Local Government Area in Borno State following a fierce assault that overwhelmed Nigerian forces last weekend.
A military insider, who requested anonymity told journalists that the terrorists executed a series of coordinated strikes that compelled the Nigerian Army to vacate their positions in the region by on May 12, 2025.
Further confirmed details from the source indicated that after a series of sporadic attacks, the military was ultimately forced to retreat from Marte at 3 AM on May 12, 2025.
“Many soldiers (unspecified numbers) were captured and many has deserted, the ones that runs twords Dikwa are currently at the 24 task force brigade. ISWAP has taken over Marte.
“All gunshots were heard in Dikwa and the Nigeria Air Force were seen hovering the general area. Numbers of casualty: unspecified yet,” the source reportedly told SaharaReporters.
Naijaonpoint reports that the capture of Marte, a key local government area in the Lake Chad region, represents a significant blow to the Nigerian military, which has faced ongoing challenges in addressing the decade-long insurgency in the North-East.
The town has frequently changed control in recent years, serving as both a symbolic and strategic target for ISWAP and government forces.
Reports indicated that numerous Nigerian soldiers lost their lives when Boko Haram attacked a Nigerian Army base in Borno State.
The previous assault occurred on Saturday night at the 153 Task Force Battalion’s base in Marte Local Government Council, resulting in the displacement of troops.
During the incursion, the assailants allegedly set fire to armored vehicles and seized ammunition, according to sources.
“There was another Boko Haram dislodgement in Marte 153 TF Battalion on Saturday night, so many of our men are feared dead as we already lost communication with the base since the attack,” one of the sources, a Major in the Army, had told SaharaReporters.
The 153rd Task Force Battalion (153 TF Battalion) in Borno State, Nigeria, has faced multiple confrontations with Boko Haram, including ambushes and the reclaiming of key areas such as Marte.
This follows a recent incident where 22 soldiers, including a commanding officer, lost their lives during an assault on a military installation in Malam-Fatori, located in the Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State.
For more than ten years, Nigeria has been embroiled in a severe conflict with insurgent factions primarily active in the North East region of the country.
The most notable of these groups is Boko Haram, which originated in the early 2000s but escalated its violent activities around 2009, initiating a campaign of terror characterized by bombings, mass kidnappings, and assaults on both civilian and military targets.