At least 10 soldiers and four civilians are feared to have lost their lives during a coordinated assault by suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on a military base in Mairari, Borno State.
The attack, which took place last Tuesday, October 6, occurred in the Guzamala Local Government Area, roughly 120 to 130 kilometers north of the state capital, Maiduguri.
Quoting credible security sources, DailyTrust said the insurgents stormed the military formation in large numbers, engaging troops in a fierce, hours-long gun battle.
The troops fought back and neutralised scores of attackers. However, the terrorists ultimately inflicted heavy casualties and caused significant destruction to military hardware, including gun trucks and operational vehicles belonging to both troops and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
A security source said. “More than 10 soldiers and four civilians have reportedly been slain after suspected fighters of the Islamic State-backed faction attacked the military formation.”
Ali Bukar Mairari, a resident who fled the scene, corroborated the accounts, stating that more than 11 people were slain and multiple operational vehicles were set ablaze during the raid.
Lawan Sheriff, the chairman of Guzamala, also confirmed the attack to the publication, though he did not provide casualty figures.
Information about the incident reached the public late due to the complete absence of telecommunication networks in the area.
The assault on Mairari follows another recent security breach in the wider Lake Chad region, where terrorists reportedly seized more than 40 locally made fishing boats from fishermen in Tumbun Barebari, an area known as Abujan Ruwa.