No fewer than four soldiers were reportedly killed and unspecified numbers wounded when fighters of the Islamic State of West African Province (SWAP) attacked a military base in Damboa local government area of Borno State on Sunday, according to a credible source .
LEADERSHIP gathered that terrorists rode on motorcycles to storm the remote village of Warja between Sabon Gari in Damboa local government area on Sunday evening, killing soldiers and setting ablaze military hardware.
A security source said the terrorists overran the entire formation and burnt down armoury and other operational vehicles.
He said, “It was a devastating attack on the base. We lost gallant soldiers. Unfortunately, the attackers set ablaze the entire base. Thereafter, they looted and carted away our ammunition,” the security source said.
A Civilian JTF source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the terrorists came in large numbers and overpowered the personnel.
He added that some operational vehicles were burnt, including two Armoured tanks, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), two utility vehicles and caches of ammunition.
Similarly, three Nigerian police officers have sustained injuries following a landmine explosion along the Maiduguri-Damaturu road in Borno State.
The IED was suspected to have been planted by ISWAP terrorists.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert in the the Lake Chad region, disclosed this on Wednesday in a post on his X handle.
Makama said intelligence sources disclosed that the incident occurred at about 3:00 pm near Garin Kuturu village, between Auno and Jakana, while a Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol team was on routine duty.
According to the report, the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated as the officers stepped on it, damaging their patrol vehicle and creating a crater measuring three feet deep and five feet wide.
“Bomb Disposal (EOD-CBRN) team was deployed to cordon off the area and conduct a thorough sweep for secondary explosives, but none were found. The affected area was declared safe for road users,” Makama said.
