27 Nigerian soldiers killed in attack on remote military base

At least 27 Nigerian soldiers are reported to have been killed in a suspected attack by fighters from the ISIL affiliate, ISIS West Africa Province (ISWAP). The attackers targeted a military base in the remote town of Malam-Fatori, located in northeastern Borno state, on Friday. A surviving soldier stated that the attack lasted for over three hours.

A Nigerian army official has confirmed that ISIS West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram militants carried out a suicide attack on a military base in Malam-Fatori, Borno State. The attack involved explosions and gunfire, resulting in the deaths of 27 soldiers.

According to AFP, ISWAP fighters arrived in trucks and carried out a suicide bombing at the 149th Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Malam-Fatori, Borno State.

Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters mainly operate in Borno and have attacked both security forces and civilians, killing and displacing tens of thousands of people.

Reuters news agency, citing security sources and residents, on Sunday said a commanding officer was among those killed after ISWAP members arrived on gun trucks and attacked the Nigerian Army’s 149th Battalion in Malam-Fatori, gateway to the border with Niger.

“They rained bullets everywhere,” one of the surviving soldiers told Reuters by phone, adding that the troops were taken by surprise.

“We tried so much to repel the attacks and after more than three hours of gun duel, they overpowered us, killing our commanding officer, a lieutenant colonel,” the soldier said, declining to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Since the beginning of 2023, attacks by the group in the region have increased, resulting in the deaths of several farmers and fishermen.

It’s important to note that in 2009, Boko Haram began its campaign against Western education and took up arms to establish their version of Islamic law.

According to the United Nations, nearly 35,000 civilians have been killed in the conflicts between Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters, and more than 2 million people have been displaced.