Soldiers flee after Boko Haram raid on Borno base

Some soldiers are reportedly fleeing back to their villages following Monday’s attack by Boko Haram terrorists on a military base in Marte, Borno State, which claimed the lives of five personnel.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded the forward operating base in the early hours of Monday, overpowering soldiers on duty, looting weapons, and escaping with military vehicles.

Multiple military sources, speaking on Tuesday on the condition of anonymity for lack of authorisation, said some of the soldiers who witnessed the attack had abandoned their posts and returned to their hometowns.

“After the operation, they burnt everything. They destroyed all our facilities and carted away arms. They even left with our Commanding Officer’s vehicle. All the new motorbikes issued to us—they took them too,” one of the sources said.

Some soldiers have dumped their arms, saying they’re no longer interested. They’re returning to their villages. One of them, whom we call Dangwari, is among those who left.”

Another source alleged that the attack was made possible by betrayal from within.

“A civilian Joint Task Force member, someone we trusted, sold us out. He led the insurgents to our camp. His name is Sharu. He was close to our adjutant and considered part of the team,” he said.

He added that residents in surrounding communities had fled to safer areas such as Dikwa, Lukumani, and Mafa, fearing further attacks.

“The insurgents might advance again if they detect low military presence in this region,” he warned.

Reacting to the incident on Tuesday, the Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force, North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, has attributed the recent surge in insurgent attacks in Borno State to the ongoing instability in the wider Sahel region.

Abubakar, who spoke during a media briefing in Maiduguri, noted that the deterioration of security in neighbouring Sahel states had led to an influx of arms into Nigeria through porous borders, intensifying the insurgency in the North-East.

Despite the situation, Abubakar said the Nigerian Armed Forces were condident of winning the war eventually, noting, however, that the military may suffer some loses in the process.

“In war, you have several campaigns which are series of coordinated operations aimed at achieving strategic objectives. So, you win some, you lose some.”

But what’s most important is the ratio of what you win against what you lose,” he said.

According to the commander, two years ago the military was on the verge of declaring the conflict over. However, worsening insecurity across Sahelian countries reignited the insurgency.

“What is happening in Nigeria is not unconnected to the situation in the greater Sahel region where barracks in neighbouring countries are being ransacked and weapons carted away. These arms eventually make their way into Nigeria, thereby re-energising the fight,” he explained.

Abubakar also noted the increasing difficulty of counterinsurgency operations due to evolving tactics by terrorists, including the use of weaponised drones.

“Since November last year, we have observed the use of armed drones to carry out attacks—similar to what is happening in Israel and Ukraine. These drones are difficult to detect using conventional radar systems,” he said.

Despite these challenges, the commander said the military had made significant gains in recent months.

“The terrorists have been largely degraded. There’s no doubt that normalcy has greatly returned to the North-East compared to five or 10 years ago. In the last one week alone, more than 20 terrorists have been neutralised and several arms and ammunition recovered,” he said.

Abubakar cited recent successes in Mallam Fatori and Kukawa, where nearly 20,000 internally displaced persons have returned to their ancestral homes and socioeconomic activities have resumed.

He disclosed that the military had been re-strategising and reorganising its operations in the past two months, with the Chief of Army Staff recently visiting the theatre to oversee changes.

“I only assumed command about two weeks ago as part of those changes,” he stated.

However, he acknowledged the terrorists’ evolving tactics of launching simultaneous attacks on isolated military positions to create a sense of fear and to fuel propaganda.

“Yesterday alone, there were attacks in Rann, Dikwa, and Gajiram. All were repelled except in Rann, where they managed to penetrate to an extent, leading to the loss of four gallant personnel,” he revealed.

Reaffirming the military’s commitment, Abubakar stated: “Let me reassure Nigerians that we will completely defeat terrorism and restore peace to the region in the shortest possible time. We just need the continued support of the nation.”

He also called on insurgents to surrender and embrace peace or risk being eliminated.

“To the terrorists, I urge them to follow the path of their colleagues who have surrendered and are being humanely treated. Otherwise, they will be eliminated,” he warned.

Also, in a statement on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Dauda Illiya, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, condemned the activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP in various parts of the state and urged residents to remain resilient and prayerful.

 Zulum also extended his sympathy to the families of victims and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to working with the Federal Government, military, and security agencies to address the security challenges.

“The recent surge in attacks will not deter our resolve to tackle the scourge of the 16-year-long insurgency. I urge the people of Borno to remain resilient and prayerful. This is a partial eclipse — and we shall overcome it, Insha Allah,” the governor said.

He continued: “These acts of terror are deeply condemnable. The recent tragic loss of our education staff, gallant troops, and innocent civilians is a painful reminder of the challenges we continue to face.”

Zulum emphasised his commitment to supporting the military, security agencies, and volunteer forces in the fight against terrorism.

He also recalled his recent visit to Gwoza, where he engaged with troops and residents of the Izge community as part of ongoing efforts to boost morale and reinforce security.

It had previously been reported attacks across Marte, Chibok, Gwoza, Kala Balge, and other parts of the state.