In a chilling turn of events that has rattled the Nigerian military community, Brigadier General M. Uba, a top Army commander, was killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters along the Damboa–Biu road in Borno State—just hours after he led a successful joint air–ground assault against insurgents.
Multiple security sources confirmed that the insurgents intercepted the commander’s movement, tracked his coordinates, and ultimately captured him alive before executing him.
According to PRNigeria, General Uba had only recently updated his superiors, assuring them that he was safe and regrouping with his men after the operation. Tragically, that very communication may have exposed his location to ISWAP fighters who were reportedly monitoring signals in the area.
A Routine Regroup Turns Deadly
Sources say the general and his troops had earlier been engaged in a fierce encounter triggered when their route—unbeknownst to them—was booby-trapped. As insurgent reinforcements surged into the firefight, the commander ordered a tactical withdrawal and called for urgent air support.
Responding swiftly, the Nigerian Air Force diverted aircraft from other missions and pounded insurgent positions, dispersing the attackers and rescuing ground troops and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members caught in the ambush.
But while many soldiers were successfully extracted, the Brigade Commander and two others never made it back to base.
High-Level Panic, Intensified Search Efforts
On Saturday, senior military brass, including Operation Hadin Kai Theatre Commander Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, stormed the Damboa military base to coordinate emergency search and rescue operations.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the Friday night ambush left two soldiers and two CJTF members dead, while several others, including Brigadier General Uba, were declared missing. Although the Nigerian Army initially denied the abduction, soldiers on ground insisted their commander had not returned.
Military sources revealed that Gen. Uba managed to send his live location to colleagues shortly after being seized. Troops traced the coordinates—but found nothing. It remains unclear whether his device went dead or was confiscated.
In a startling detail, one source disclosed that the general even managed to make a brief video call to his dry cleaner the following morning, warning him not to speak—suggesting he was alive but under heavy duress.
Though one abducted soldier was later found alive, the commander and two others were not recovered.
New Command Leadership Amid Uncertainty
In the aftermath, Brigadier General Mustapha has been appointed to take charge of the 26 Task Force Brigade in Damboa, as search operations continue and morale efforts are intensified. Troops earlier dispatched to rescue the commander were reportedly withdrawn on Sunday as leadership recalibrated strategy.
Senior officers confirmed:
> “Information reaching us indicates that the Brigadier General was abducted alongside three soldiers. One, who was shot, was left behind in the bush. Two Majors returned on foot. A temporary commander has been appointed pending further directives.”
A Growing Threat in the Northeast
This latest attack adds to a string of ISWAP ambushes targeting military convoys in Borno. Friday night’s assault was particularly coordinated and deadly, underscoring the insurgency’s continued threat in the region.
The death of Brigadier General Uba—one of the highest-ranking officers to be killed in active combat in recent years—marks a grim moment for Nigeria’s counterinsurgency efforts and raises fresh concerns about insurgent surveillance capabilities.
