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Islamic State-affiliated militants have killed three Nigerian troops in northeast Nigeria, marking their first raid on a military base since the death of an IS deputy chief in the region, according to security sources and a local resident who spoke to AFP on Friday.
The northeast has faced an Islamist insurgency since 2009, initiated by Boko Haram and later joined by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Last month, US and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, an IS second-in-command described as the “most active terrorist” globally, in a remote village in the northeast. Intelligence officials had warned of a potential surge in ISWAP attacks targeting military bases as retaliation for Al-Minuki’s death.
Late Wednesday, ISWAP fighters launched an assault on a military base in Gajiganna, roughly 50 kilometres from Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital. Ibrahim Liman, a member of an anti-insurgencymilitia assisting the military, said:
“Three soldiers were killed in the attack by ISWAP terrorists who carted away weapons and burnt down the base. They came in several trucks and on motorcycles and engaged the soldiers in prolonged battle and succeeded in overrunning the base.” An intelligence source corroborated the casualty figure and confirmed the base was “completely razed” after troops withdrew.
Modu, a Gajiganna resident, described the militants moving around the town, firing shots into the air before leaving. “No one in the town was injured in the shooting, as we were all indoors, but everybody was scared,” he said.
The United States has deployed troops to assist Nigeria with training and intelligence efforts. The 17-year insurgency in the northeast has killed tens of thousands and displaced over two million people. The conflict has spilt into Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting a multinational military coalition that has weakened following Niger’s withdrawal after its 2023 coup.
This attack underscores the continued threat posed by ISWAP and the fragility of regional security efforts in the Lake Chad Basin.
