Suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have launched a deadly attack on a Nigerian military base in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, killing an unconfirmed number of soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
Military sources said the assault occurred on Thursday when insurgents overran the military formation, firing heavy weapons and inflicting significant casualties on security personnel and allied local forces.
“There was an attack and many soldiers were killed, but the exact number is not yet clear,” a military source disclosed on Saturday.
According to the sources, the attackers set ablaze armoured tanks and several military vehicles during the raid and made away with a large quantity of arms and ammunition.
ISWAP has since claimed responsibility for the operation, releasing a statement alongside a video showing its fighters opening fire in the direction of the military facility.
The attack came just days after another deadly incident in the state, in which seven military personnel, including a newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel, Mohammed, were killed. The officer was reportedly leading troops from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area on Monday, January 26, 2026, when their convoy was ambushed.
Military sources said the assailants used explosives and sustained gunfire during the ambush. While some bodies have been recovered, several soldiers were said to have suffered serious injuries, with an unknown number still missing.
Security experts say ISWAP has intensified its operations around the Lake Chad region following the death of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. The group is believed to have bolstered its strength with the defection of hundreds of fighters formerly aligned with Shekau.
Despite repeated claims by the Nigerian Army that insurgency in the North East has been largely contained, militant groups continue to carry out deadly attacks across the region. Critics have accused authorities of downplaying casualties suffered by security forces.
The over decade-long insurgency has claimed more than 100,000 lives and displaced millions of people, particularly in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, making it one of Africa’s deadliest conflicts.
