Nigerian Troops Ambushed by Terrorists in Borno, Soldiers, Civilians Missing

Boko Haram terrorists ambushed Nigerian military troops in Baga, located near the fringes of Lake Chad, leaving an unspecified number of soldiers and civilians missing. The ambush occurred as troops were attempting to recover the bodies of 40 residents killed in a prior attack by the insurgents.

Military personnel, speaking anonymously to Channels Television, revealed that the ambush led to a fierce gun battle. Multiple soldiers reportedly lost their lives, although the exact number of casualties remains unclear as some bodies are yet to be recovered, and soldiers are still returning to base.

“Our troops went in search of dead bodies of civilians killed by the terrorists,” said one military source. “We went too far in search of them, and the terrorists ambushed us—a combined team of the armed forces, including civilians. There was an exchange of fire, and they killed some of our soldiers. We are yet to ascertain the number because some bodies are still uncollected.”

The attack follows a deadly assault on Sunday by suspected members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, where scores of farmers were killed.

A civilian source in Baga disclosed that approximately 50 civilians, including members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, local hunters, and other young men, went out to recover the bodies of those killed in the earlier attack. Tragically, only one person has returned so far.

“The group was mobilized to recover the dead villagers, but they were ambushed by Boko Haram terrorists,” the source said. “Several people were killed, though we don’t yet know the exact number. We are still waiting for others to return.”

Another incident in Gwoza resulted in the deaths of six people, including five individuals reportedly identified as repentant insurgents, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, and hunters.

The Nigerian military and local authorities are working to establish the full scope of the casualties and the fate of the missing individuals.