Boko Haram Fighters Kill Four Soldiers, Loot Weapons in Attack on Yobe Army Base

Four Nigerian soldiers were killed early Saturday when suspected Boko Haram militants launched a coordinated attack on the 27 Task Force Brigade base in Buni Yadi, located in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State. The attackers, believed to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), stormed the base in the early hours, catching troops off guard with a combination of gunfire and explosives.

A military source who survived the ambush confirmed that parts of the base were overrun during the attack. Several operational vehicles were destroyed, and the insurgents looted weapons and other essential military equipment. “We were taken off guard by the heavy explosion and gunfire, but we stood our ground,” the soldier said. “Yes, we lost four of our men, just as they also suffered casualties. A lot of our fighting equipment was destroyed during the encounter.”

The Nigerian Army acknowledged the confrontation in a Saturday evening statement posted on its verified Facebook page, noting that troops under Operation Hadin Kai were engaged in a fierce battle with ISWAP fighters in nearby Buni Gari. This follows a similar incident just two weeks earlier, when ISWAP militants attacked Buni Yadi, killed three soldiers, and looted food supplies and livestock from the local community.

Residents have expressed renewed fears over the growing insecurity in the region, with one local telling SaharaReporters that the latest attack lasted approximately five hours. “My hometown came under attack overnight by Boko Haram terrorists. Three soldiers were killed, and foodstuffs and livestock were carted away. However, the army recovered three vehicles from the terrorists,” the resident said.