A number of Nigerian soldiers are feared dead after Boko Haram insurgents attacked a military base in Borno State, according to multiple sources who spoke to Newsmen in Maiduguri.
The attack happened on Saturday night at the base of the 153 Task Force Battalion in Marte Local Government Area. The terrorists overran the base, reportedly burning armored vehicles and stealing ammunition.
“There was another Boko Haram attack on the 153 Task Force Battalion in Marte on Saturday night. Many of our men are feared dead as we’ve lost contact with the base since the incident,” a senior army officer told Newsmen.
This same battalion has been involved in multiple clashes with Boko Haram in the past, including ambushes and the battle to recapture strategic areas like Marte.
The latest assault comes just weeks after 22 soldiers, including a commander, were killed in another Boko Haram attack at a military base in Malam-Fatori, also in Borno State.
Nigeria has been battling insurgent groups like Boko Haram for over a decade, primarily in the North East region. Boko Haram began its violent campaign around 2009, carrying out bombings, kidnappings, and attacks on both civilians and military forces.
Despite repeated claims by former President Muhammadu Buhari that the group had been “technically defeated,” Boko Haram and its offshoots especially the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remain a major threat.
The insurgency has led to the deaths of tens of thousands and displaced millions, forcing many into overcrowded and under-resourced internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
Efforts by Nigeria, along with regional and international allies including the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), have so far failed to fully contain the threat, which continues to endanger national security and the lives of countless civilians.
