Four members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have been killed and four soldiers declared missing after terrorists attacked a military base in Mayenti, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
The deadly ambush occurred less than 24 hours after the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) released a video showing the execution of Brigadier-General Samaila Uba.
Security sources confirmed to Premium Times on Monday night that insurgents riding motorcycles attempted to overrun the military facility in Mayenti, a community long plagued by terrorist activity and located near Dara Jamal, where more than 60 people were massacred in September.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai reportedly engaged the attackers in a fierce gunfight and killed several of them. However, four CJTF operatives were killed in the exchange.
As they retreated, the terrorists allegedly set fire to two trucks owned by the Borno State Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement and murdered four labourers working in the vicinity.
The assault occurred just hours after the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, concluded an operational visit to Borno. It also followed the release of the disturbing video of Brigadier-General Uba’s execution.
The senior officer had survived an ambush on Saturday but lost contact with his troops while awaiting rescue. ISWAP fighters later captured and killed him, sparking widespread outrage across the country.
These incidents have deepened concerns over Nigeria’s capacity to contain the renewed wave of terrorist attacks in the North-East.
Meanwhile, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described the killing of Brigadier-General Uba as a dangerous escalation. He accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to protect Nigerians and urged the President to “take necessary steps or resign,” insisting the country “cannot continue on its current path.”
His comments came after renewed international attention on Nigeria’s security crisis, particularly following criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump over the government’s handling of extremist violence.
The resurgence in ISWAP attacks comes just weeks after President Tinubu appointed new military service chiefs.
