At least 19 soldiers, including a commander, have been killed in a devastating 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 approximately two kilometers from the Nigerien community of Bosso.
According to reliable sources, the attackers struck the base on Friday, January 24, 2025, unleashing chaos for several hours before overrunning the 149 Battalion. Survivors fled for safety following the assault, which left many soldiers seriously injured and others missing. The attackers, arriving in multiple gun trucks, destroyed several buildings and military vehicles during the raid.
A source revealed that among those killed were the battalion’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Alari, two senior officers, and the base’s medical director. The attack occurred as troops were conducting routine operations in the Timbuktu Triangle, where they were ambushed.
The Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, and other authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction that split from Boko Haram in 2016, is believed to be behind the attack. ISWAP has established dominance in the region, seizing areas formerly controlled by Boko Haram, including the Timbuktu Triangle and the Sambisa Forest. The group is known for employing roadside mines and vehicle-borne explosives to target troops.
Last year, seven soldiers were killed when their vehicle struck a landmine in an area where ISWAP operates actively. The 15-year insurgency in northeast Nigeria has claimed approximately 40,000 lives and displaced around two million people. The violence has also spilled into neighboring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, prompting the formation of a regional force to combat the militants.