Boko Haram terrorists have launched a deadly attack on the 149 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Malam-Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area, Borno State, killing over 20 soldiers and leaving several others missing.
The attack, which took place on Friday, January 24, 2025, was described as fierce and well-coordinated. Insurgents armed with multiple gun trucks stormed the military base, engaging in prolonged combat and causing significant destruction.
Key Casualties:
The battalion’s commanding officer and two senior officers, including the base medical director, were killed.
Several operational vehicles and buildings were razed during the assault.
Many soldiers remain unaccounted for, while others sustained injuries.
Malam-Fatori, a strategic border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic, has long been a hotspot for insurgency and displacement. This latest attack has escalated fears about the safety of civilians and military personnel in the region.
Efforts are ongoing to recover missing soldiers, and security forces are combing the area for survivors.
This incident follows another pre-dawn raid earlier in the week on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Damboa Local Government Area, where Boko Haram fighters also claimed lives and caused destruction.
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction of Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for both attacks, releasing images from the Damboa assault as part of its propaganda.
The escalation of attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP underscores the challenges facing Nigerian security forces in the fight against terrorism in the northeast.