At least 19 soldiers, including a commander, have been killed in an attack on a military base in Malam-Fatori, located in the Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State. Malam-Fatori is a border town, situated just two kilometers from the Nigerien border community of Bosso.
Sources report that the attackers launched their assault on the military base on Friday, January 24, 2025, and caused havoc for several hours, eventually overpowering the 149 Battalion.
Survivors fled to safety during the attack. Intelligence confirmed that the insurgents arrived in multiple gun trucks, setting fire to several buildings and military vehicles.
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Among those killed in the attack were the battalion’s commanding officer, a lieutenant colonel, two senior officers, and the base medical director. Many soldiers were injured, and several others are reported missing.
The attack occurred while troops were conducting routine operations in the Timbuktu Triangle and were ambushed.
The 149 Taskforce Brigade Malam-Fatori is located near the Lake Chad region, where insurgents are believed to be based.
The authorities, including the Nigerian Army and the Defence Headquarters, have not yet commented on the incident.
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from Boko Haram in 2016, has become the dominant militant group in the region, seizing territory previously held by Boko Haram.
The group is notorious for using roadside mines and explosives to target troops.
The ongoing 15-year conflict has resulted in over 40,000 deaths and displaced nearly two million people in the northeast, with the violence spilling into neighboring countries, including Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
A regional force has been established to combat the militants.
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