Terrorists Kill Commanding Officer, Five Soldiers in Borno Ambush

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have ambushed Nigerian troops in Kashimiri village, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, killing the Commanding Officer of the 202 Battalion, five soldiers, and three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF). Several others, including the Commanding Officer of the 222 Battalion in Konduga, sustained injuries, while one soldier was reportedly abducted.

According to security sources, the troops had completed a clearance operation on Friday and were returning to Bama when the ambush occurred. A soldier who survived the attack said the incident happened at Kashimiri, about 25 kilometres from Bama town and 93 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“We were deployed for a clearance operation after intelligence indicated that terrorists from various factions had gathered to launch an attack on Bama, Kawuri, or Awulari,” the soldier recounted. “Our mission was to disrupt their plans. We destroyed their camp and rescued women and children, but they laid an ambush for us on our way back.”

He described the ambush as fierce, explaining that the insurgents attacked from both the front and rear. “We lost our Commanding Officer, five soldiers, and three Civilian JTF members instantly. They opened fire from behind, and when we turned to respond, another group launched RPGs from the front. It was a deadly crossfire,” he said.

The survivor added that troops under Operation Hadin Kai neutralised dozens of terrorists during the clearance operation, with many others fleeing with gunshot wounds. “We evacuated the bodies of our fallen comrades, but radio interceptions confirmed that one of our soldiers, Bello, was captured alive,” he said, noting that the insurgents use coded radio communication on Channel 8.

A senior military source confirmed the attack, saying troop morale remains high despite the losses. “Operations are ongoing to rescue the abducted soldier and maintain pressure on the terrorists,” the source said. “The troops used motorcycles due to the rough terrain, and though they successfully completed their mission, the ambush occurred during their withdrawal.”

The source added that reinforcements had been deployed to track the attackers. “Based on intelligence, Bello is alive, and efforts are underway to bring him back,” he said.

Bama has experienced renewed insurgent activity in recent months. On September 5, 2025, more than 60 people were killed in an overnight assault on Darul Jamal village, just a few kilometres from the latest ambush site. The Nigerian Air Force later carried out airstrikes that reportedly killed about 30 militants in response to that attack. In another recent incident, insurgents targeted a military base in Banki, nearly overrunning the barracks and looting weapons.