Boko Haram overruns army base in Borno, kills soldiers and vigilantes

Boko Haram insurgents launched a pre-dawn attack on a Nigerian Army base in Mandaragirau, located in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, killing five soldiers and three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force on duty.

The attack occurred around 3 a.m. on Friday under heavy rainfall that significantly reduced visibility, according to military sources.

The Acting Media Information Officer for Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Sani, stated that troops at the Forward Operating Base mounted a fierce counter-offensive despite the adverse weather. He said the insurgents attempted to breach sections of the base but were met with resistance that inflicted casualties on the attackers.

Sani confirmed that five soldiers paid the supreme price during close-quarter combat, and some equipment was also damaged. Three Civilian JTF members also lost their lives. Wounded personnel were airlifted by the Air Component Command and are in stable condition.

He assured that troops remain in control of the base and that exploitation operations are ongoing.

However, local sources disputed the official casualty figures. A resident of the local government area said the attackers operated for nearly an hour with little resistance due to the heavy rain. The president of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, confirmed multiple locations were targeted and called for improved grassroots intelligence gathering.

One military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, insisted that more than eight soldiers were killed, contrary to the official count. Another source described how insurgents chased fleeing soldiers after breaching the base.

A viral video obtained by reporters showed soldiers and Civilian JTF members surveying the aftermath, with several bodies visible at different locations within the base.