Unconfirmed number of soldiers have been reportedly killed and many others still missing when suspected Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists attacked a military Base in the Damboa local government area of Borno State.
According to reliable sources , at approximately 00:00hrs of 4th January 2025, unspecified number of suspected the Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists onboard motorcycles and gun trucks stormed Sabon Gari General Security Formation located approximately 50km south of Damboa.
Few minutes into the attack, the armed the terrorists according to the intelligence sources took over the military deployment after the troops abandoned their positions and fled into safety.
” Notwithstanding, the Quick Response Group reinforcement team comprised of General Security Forces /CJTF/Vigilante/Hybrid from Damboa backed up with multiple heavy armaments swiftly dispatched to the location for support.
” While on their way, a vigilante vehicle ran on an improvised explosive device (IED), unfortunately, the Damboa overall top vigilante commander sustained serious injury and was evacuated to Maiduguri for medical treatment, while the rest of the team proceeded to the location.
” However, based on intelligence gathered, immediately on arrival at the location, the reinforcement team exchanged terrible gunfire with the armed terrorists group that forced them to took their heels and the troops instantly reclaimed their camp,” said the sources.
The sources added that the terrorists razed many buildings and military operational vehicles during the attack that lasted over two hours.
“25 Taskforce Brigade was attacked during the weekend with so many casualties, so far we have recovered over seven bodies. The terrorists group invaded the camp’s Foward Operational Base ( FOB ) Sabon Gari around 4am on Saturday, using various weapons,” the intelligence sources further said.
News reports that the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial district at the National Assembly had during his tour of the nine local government areas of the district which include Damboa accused some insiders from the local governments of providing information and collaborating with the terrorists to carry out attacks in the areas.
The Senator listed the local government areas the terrorists are stil attacking residents and the military with the help of the informants to include Damboa, Gwoza, Askira-Uba and some parts of Biu.
In Gwoza local government, the Senator decried that the collaboration of the residents, especially the youths does not stop at providing information, but that some female residents do load food items in food warmers with condiments to the terrorists under the guise of going to the farm ,only to deliver the items and return back with without the food warmers.
No statement or response has been issued by any of the security agencies in the state over the Damboa attack as at the time of filing this report.
