BORNO STATE, NIGERIA — Fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have launched a deadly attack on a Nigerian military base in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, killing an unspecified number of soldiers and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
Military sources confirmed that the assault occurred on Thursday, when insurgents stormed the base and opened heavy fire, inflicting significant casualties among troops and allied local forces.
“There was an attack, many soldiers were killed, but I don’t have the correct figure yet,” a military source told reporters.
According to the source, the attackers destroyed armoured tanks and several military vehicles and also carted away ammunition during the raid. ISWAP has since claimed responsibility, releasing a statement accompanied by a video showing its fighters targeting the military facility.
The attack comes days after another deadly ambush in Borno State that claimed the lives of seven military personnel, including Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed, who was recently promoted. The officer was leading troops from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar Local Government Area on Monday, January 26, 2026, when their convoy was attacked using explosives and heavy gunfire.
Military sources said while some bodies were recovered after the ambush, several soldiers sustained serious injuries, and an unknown number of personnel remain missing.
Security analysts say ISWAP has expanded its operational strength around the Lake Chad region following the death of former Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, with hundreds of fighters reportedly defecting to the group.
Despite repeated assurances by the Nigerian Army that the insurgency has been largely contained, armed groups continue to carry out high-impact attacks across the North East, often inflicting losses that critics say are downplayed by authorities.
The conflict, now over a decade old, has resulted in more than 100,000 deaths and displaced millions of people, particularly across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
