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At least 11 Nigerian soldiers were killed in a deadly assault by Islamic State-affiliated militants on a military base in Yobe State, northeast Nigeria, on Friday night, military sources confirmed on Saturday.
The attack, carried out by fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), targeted a base in the town of Buni Gari, approximately 60 kilometres from the state capital, Damaturu. According to two military officers who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, the gunmen stormed the base using multiple vehicles mounted with heavy weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.
Following a fierce exchange of gunfire, the insurgents overran the base, killing at least 11 soldiers, looting weapons, and setting fire to several military vehicles and buildings. The entire base was reportedly razed.
One officer warned the death toll could rise as many soldiers remained unaccounted for in the aftermath of the attack. “The terrorists on several trucks armed with heavy guns and RPGs attacked the base and burned it down after killing 11 soldiers. The death toll may rise because many soldiers are missing and their whereabouts are still unknown,” he said.
A second officer confirmed that ISWAP forces had seized military equipment before destroying the facility. Shocking footage seen by AFP shows charred military vehicles and the decapitated body of a soldier lying on the ground beside his severed head.
The Buni Gari base has been a frequent target in the insurgents’ 16-year campaign of violence, which has reportedly claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people in Nigeria’s northeast.
Friday’s assault marks the eighth such attack on army bases in the region within the past two months, based on AFP’s count. In response to growing insecurity, the military introduced a “super camps” strategy in 2019, consolidating forces into larger, more fortified bases and closing smaller, isolated outposts.
However, critics argue the strategy has left rural areas and civilians exposed, enabling militants to operate with greater freedom and carry out ambushes and kidnappings. The recent surge in attacks underlines this concern.
Earlier this week, 26 people were killed when their vehicle detonated a landmine near Rann, a town close to the Cameroonian border. ISWAP later claimed responsibility.
Militant groups ISWAP and Boko Haram have escalated their attacks on both military and civilian targets in recent months. More than 100 civilians were killed in April alone in various attacks across the northeast.
During a visit to the northern city of Katsina on Friday, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu pledged to bolster military resources to tackle growing insecurity. “The threats of terrorism, banditry and insurgency have persisted for too long,” he said, promising greater support for troops on the frontlines.
