Military Personnel, Civilians Missing After Boko Haram Ambush In Baga

Uncertainty looms as an unspecified number of Nigerian military personnel and civilians remain missing following a deadly ambush by Boko Haram insurgents in Baga, a community at the fringes of Lake Chad.

Military sources disclosed that the ambush occurred during a mission to recover the bodies of 40 residents killed in an earlier Boko Haram attack.

Speaking anonymously to Channels Television, a soldier said the recovery team, comprising members of the armed forces and civilian volunteers, came under heavy fire from the insurgents.

“Our troops went in search of the dead bodies of civilians killed by the terrorists. We went too far in search of them, and the terrorists ambushed us. There was an exchange of fire, and they killed some of our soldiers,” the source revealed.

While the exact number of military casualties remains unconfirmed, the source added that some soldiers are still missing, with the recovery of bodies ongoing.

In addition to military personnel, the ambush also involved approximately 50 civilians, including members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), local hunters, and vigilantes, who mobilized to retrieve the bodies of villagers killed in the initial attack.

A civilian source in Baga, speaking under anonymity, reported, “About 50 villagers mobilized to recover the dead bodies, but the terrorists ambushed them. Only one person has returned so far. We are awaiting others.”

The source refrained from estimating military casualties but confirmed that the missing civilians included members of the CJTF and local hunters.

Naijaonpoint understands that the ambush followed a gruesome Boko Haram attack on Tuesday, during which 40 residents of Baga were killed.

A separate attack in Gwoza also resulted in six deaths, reportedly including five repentant insurgents and members of the CJTF.