Suspected Boko Haram militants launched a coordinated assault on a Nigerian army base and a military outpost in northeastern Borno State, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 people, according to security sources.
Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have long operated in Nigeria’s northeast, targeting both security forces and civilians, which has led to tens of thousands of deaths and widespread displacement.
In the latest attack, insurgents struck an army base in Wajiroko around 2100 GMT on Monday, setting military equipment ablaze. A soldier from the Wajiroko brigade reported that at least four soldiers were killed, with several others, including the brigade commander, injured.
Simultaneously, armed fighters in light tactical vehicles stormed an outpost in Wulgo, a village 12 kilometres from Cameroon’s Fotokol border town, resulting in the deaths of 12 soldiers and injuring a dozen more, as reported by Cameroon’s Defence Ministry.
A military source, who spoke anonymously, informed Reuters that the assault on the multinational task force troops occurred between midnight and 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
The source added, “They looted a significant stockpile of weapons,” suggesting that drones were initially deployed before a ground offensive began.
Videos shared online depicted bloodied bodies, charred patrol vehicles, and damaged buildings, although Reuters could not verify their authenticity.
The Nigerian army has not yet responded to requests for comment.
However, Cyrille Serge Atonfack Guemo, Cameroon’s army spokesperson, confirmed the attack, noting that casualty figures remain unclear.
Makinta Modu, a local militia member assisting the Nigerian army, confirmed that militants overran a “forward operation base” in Wajiroko.
He stated, “Around 10:30 p.m. (2130 GMT), air force fighter jets arrived for reinforcement and killed many of the ISWAP fighters who had captured the military base.”
However, it remains uncertain whether the army has regained full control of the base.
Despite experiencing military setbacks and internal strife over the years, Boko Haram and ISWAP have intensified their attacks on military and civilian targets in Borno State this year.
The insurgency has devastated northeastern Nigeria for over a decade and continues alongside widespread banditry in the northwest and separatist violence in the southeast.
