Kehinde Fajobi
In a string of deadly assaults, armed terrorists, suspected to be Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters, struck a military base in Malam-Fatori, Borno State, killing a commanding officer, two senior officers, and 17 soldiers on Friday, January 24, 2025.
According to intelligence sources, the attackers, using gun trucks, overwhelmed the 149 Battalion, razing buildings and military vehicles. Survivors fled, with many soldiers reported injured or missing.
“The commanding officer, two senior officers, and the base medical director were among those killed,” a source confirmed, adding that the insurgents wreaked havoc for hours before dislodging the troops.
This attack follows the killing of 20 fishermen in Bama’s Gadan Gari community two days earlier and an earlier strike on Damboa’s Forward Operating Base, leaving many soldiers dead and missing.
Local sources revealed that the Gadan Gari assault occurred on Wednesday, January 22, when insurgents opened fire on fishermen around 11:00 am, killing at least 20.
Mustapha Kachallah, a resident, said, “We have buried over 15 victims, including my child.”
These incidents highlight a resurgence in terrorist activity in Borno State, with over 40 farmers previously killed in Kukawa’s Dumba community last November.
The military and Borno State government have yet to comment on the attacks.